New technology and support from law enforcement and federal agencies allows universities to monitor student activists like never before.
By Sophie Hayssen, Prism
In the aftermath of pro-Palestinian encampments last year, colleges across the country announced new policies that effectively ban many forms of protest. In addition to chilling dissent, the new university rules also allow for campus surveillance and overreach by law enforcement.
As part of the new policies, some universities outright ban encampments, while others place restrictions on the time, place, and shape protests can take. In some cases, schools made it more difficult for students to conceal their identity during protests by banning masks or requiring student groups to register protests. Students say the new policies are alarming, especially when coupled with the surveillance utilized by universities. This includes closed-circuit television (CCTV), facial recognition, and video analytics that can track individuals.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation noted that the proliferation of surveillance technology and an increase in law enforcement on campus may require students to make difficult choices to avoid doxxing and other forms of retribution for merely exposing their faces at a campus protest.
“The more rules you create that make something illegal, the more reasons the government has to survey, get warrants, knock on doors,” said Xavier T. de Janon, the director of mass defense at the National Lawyers Guild.
Recent Posts
Israel Is Losing Americans’ Support. Will Democrats Take Notice?
May 29, 2025
Take Action Now New polls show broad opposition to Israel’s genocide — and that Democrats’ intransigence on Gaza greatly reduced turnout…
Ukrainians Need (And Want) An End To War
May 28, 2025
Take Action Now It would be tragic to give up on negotiations now.By RJ Eskow, The Zero Hour Report Donald Trump’s expressed exasperation over…
Cuomo Hopes Phony Antisemitism Charges Can Beat Zohran Mamdani
May 28, 2025
Take Action Now Zohran Mamdani is closing the gap with Andrew Cuomo.By Theodore Hamm, Drop Site In the summer of 2024, Andrew Cuomo announced the…
How Bad Does It Have To Get Before The DNC Declares An Emergency?
May 28, 2025
Take Action Now The Democratic Party needs to respond with urgency to the threat Trump poses. What will it take for leadership to wake up?By…