- SDSU added 1,300 AI‑powered surveillance cameras to its on‑campus dormitories last week.
The university rolled out the system in early June, according to a campus memo obtained by Reclaim The Net. The memo listed a total budget of $330,000 for the hardware and installation, but gave no details about the vendor or the AI capabilities. Students were not informed in advance, and the cameras now monitor common areas, hallways, and study rooms.
The move raises privacy questions because the cameras can perform facial‑recognition and behavior analysis, functions that are typically disclosed to occupants under California privacy law. Student groups argue the lack of notice violates campus policy and state regulations, while administrators claim the upgrade deters theft and violence.
University officials have not commented publicly, leaving a gap between the stated security benefits and the opaque implementation.