Cameras Definitively Gone!

Posted: April 5th, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: News | Comments Off on Cameras Definitively Gone!

Image Credit: Mare https://www.mareonline.nl/nieuws/het-einde-van-cameragate/

Thanks to a great second mobilization of students and staff in 2023, the management of Leiden University, following the recommendations of the University Council, has definitively decided for the removal of the cameras. The official decision can be found here. See also the reporting from Mare here.


Large mobilization for the second day of protest #Cameragate #UnseeUs

Posted: December 20th, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: News | Comments Off on Large mobilization for the second day of protest #Cameragate #UnseeUs

Photo credit: Markus Espinoza (Benese Magazine)

Hundreds of students gathered again on the 14th of December in the Wijnhaven building of Leiden University in the Hague. Although the university has decided to turn off the cameras for the moment, the organizers explained to a numerous crowd why it was important to remain mobilized: the university can still decide to turn the cameras on. Several speakers called for a broader debate about surveillance technologies in the university, and called for a debate about what kind of community does the university want to be. The protest was again covered by a large number of local and national media organizations, including NOS and Mare.

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New day of protest: Tuesday 14th December at 15:30 – 16:30 Wijnhaven (The Hague) #UnseeUs #Cameragate

Posted: December 10th, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: News | Comments Off on New day of protest: Tuesday 14th December at 15:30 – 16:30 Wijnhaven (The Hague) #UnseeUs #Cameragate

A new day of protest is organized to inform the students about the ongoing movement against the “smart” surveillance cameras in Leiden university. Come on December 14th at 15:30-16:30 in Wijnhaven (the Hague).


First victory! Leiden University puts the cameras on pause. We now wait for two important reports.

Posted: December 10th, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: News | Comments Off on First victory! Leiden University puts the cameras on pause. We now wait for two important reports.

On 9 December 2021, Leiden University’s Executive board has announced it has decided to temporarily disable the surveillance cameras, as a direct result of the mobilization campaign by students and staff. The news was reported in Mare as well as Volkskrant, both outlets who had previously reported on the protest. This is a first success of the movement. But we remain vigilant. Two important reports might determine if the cameras are turned back on: 1) the externa audit mentioned in the university’s communication and 2) the report of the Data Protection Officer of the University, mentioned in the letter to the University Council. In the meantime, the university has promised to open a dialogue with concerned students and staff, we will of course report how these discussion go. The protest in Wijnhaven will continue as planned more on that soon.


Hilde van Meegdenburg (Political Science, LU) and Anouschka Kloosterman (Mare) on Radio 1 (Nieuws BV)

Posted: December 10th, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: News | Comments Off on Hilde van Meegdenburg (Political Science, LU) and Anouschka Kloosterman (Mare) on Radio 1 (Nieuws BV)

National attention to the movement continues. Hilde van Meegdenburg (Political Science, LU) and Anouschka Kloosterman (Mare) on Radio 1 (Nieuws BV) explain what is wrong with the surveillance cameras, and why they should be removed.


Following Leiden’s student protest, Utrecht University interrupts a smart camera pilot project

Posted: December 8th, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: News | Comments Off on Following Leiden’s student protest, Utrecht University interrupts a smart camera pilot project

As reported by RTV Utrecht, “Utrecht University has stopped a trial with cameras that count how many people are in lecture halls and the university library. The institution is doing this after students at Leiden University protested against similar cameras.” Article here [In Dutch]


First day of protest: Leiden University students and faculty against the smart camera ‘Overkill System’ #Unseeus #Cameragate

Posted: December 8th, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: News | Tags: , | Comments Off on First day of protest: Leiden University students and faculty against the smart camera ‘Overkill System’ #Unseeus #Cameragate

Photo credit: Omroep West https://bit.ly/3dyWn0m

On Tuesday 7 December afternoon, students and faculty of Leiden University gathered on the Cleveringaplaats in front of the University’s Lipsius building to protest the university’s installation of 371 ‘smart cameras’ at the purchase cost of over €200,000. These are being used to count people present in classrooms and buildings across Leiden University.

The protest, which gathered approximately 100 students and staff, lasted one hour, from 13:00 to 14:00. It  was covered in national news by major outlets like the NOS, Nu.nl and the Volkskrant. A second protest is being organized for the 14th of December at 3:30 pm at the Wijnhaven building, part of Leiden University’s campus in the Hague. Read the rest of this entry »


Student Protest : 7 December, 13:00-14:00 Lipsius Leiden

Posted: December 3rd, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: News | Tags: , | Comments Off on Student Protest : 7 December, 13:00-14:00 Lipsius Leiden


Stickers and slogans against the cameras of Leiden University (photos)

Posted: December 3rd, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: News | Tags: , | Comments Off on Stickers and slogans against the cameras of Leiden University (photos)

Photos posed in the original article: Stickers en leuzen tegen de camera’s van de Leidse universiteit (foto’s).

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Document: “Informatie over classroom scanners / Information on classroom scanners”

Posted: December 2nd, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: Documents | Comments Off on Document: “Informatie over classroom scanners / Information on classroom scanners”

Leiden University email, sent on 22.11.2021 to all students and staff

Read English text below
Beste medewerkers en studenten,

We kunnen ons voorstellen dat jullie vragen hebben naar aanleiding van de artikelen in Mare en het Leidsch Dagblad van afgelopen week over de nieuwe classroom scanners van de universiteit, die sinds de start van dit collegejaar zijn opgehangen in gebouwen en collegezalen. Er is onrust over gerezen en dat begrijpen wij. We willen in deze mail antwoord geven op vragen die er leven en hiermee hopelijk zorgen wegnemen.

 

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