RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE GATHERING AND DISSEMINATION OF ELECTRONIC DATA ON THE PUBLIC WAY
WHEREAS, A front-page article published in the Sunday, June 22, 2014 edition of the Chicago Tribune announced the launching of a system of data-collection sensors affixed to public light poles that will gather environmental information and observe cell phone traffic starting in selected areas this July; and
WHEREAS, The Office of the Mayor has issued certain executive orders facilitating this project that may be inadvertently in conflict with the City of Chicago City Council's authority to oversee all matters involving all uses of the public way within their individual and collective jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, This venture is fraught with glaringly obvious invasion-of-privacy issues. The city must indemnify itself against legal action arising from individual and class action suits claiming constitutional violations as a result of lack of notice or permission. Additionally, there is no plan in place to guarantee the data thus assembled will not be used for extra-legal or even criminal purposes; and
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago is a home rule unit of government under Section 6(a), Article VII ofthe 1970 Constitution of the State of Illinois and as such may legislate as to matters which pertain to its local government and affairs; and
WHEREAS, The gathering and dissemination of electronic data is a multi-billion dollar business garnering millions in profits for corporations and institutions savvy enough to profit from it. It behooves this august body to exercise its legislative prerogative and assert control over use of whatever is erected, attached or assembled for use upon the public way or utility by any corporation, organization or agency. Also, unlike previous privatization deals of public assets, this body should seek ironclad guarantees to maximize any value that is garnered from such action for the public weal; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED That the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development expeditiously convene a public hearing to take testimony concerning the proposed gathering and dissemination of electronic data by methods developed by the Urban Center for Computation and Data "Array of Things" project.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That knowledgeable representatives from the Office ofthe Mayor, Charlie Catlett, the director of the Urban Center and a senior computer scientist at Argonne National Labs and the University of Chicago, as well as any other representatives of Chicago's Urban Center for Computation and Data, the Array of Things project and any corporate body or institutional agency who has entered into agreements with the City of Chicago to elicit the gathering and dissemination of electronic data on the public way is hereby required to give testimony at this hearing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Thomas Tunney, chair of the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development and Charlie Catlett, Urban Center for Computation and Data.