US Customs and Border Protection officers have misused surveillance databases to spy on family members, pursue dates and pass intelligence to drug traffickers. Freedom of Information records reveal staff abused systems drawing on facial recognition, licence plate readers and mobile phone location data across 300 incidents. Dozens of cases were referred to criminal investigators, though many claims were handled internally as minor misconduct or left uninvestigated. The agency said it takes misconduct allegations seriously and takes appropriate disciplinary action to hold itself accountable.

Background: Surveillance and Smart Cities

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