NYCLU voices concern over Public Wi-Fi System

Download speed up to 280 MB per second. Upload speed up to 317 MB per second. Each one of the setup can provide speed up to one GB per second. The range of each setup is around 150 feet from the kiosk. These are staggering numbers, aren’t they!

Remember the public Wi-Fi system in New York? Well, on January 21, 2016, LinkNYC, a one-of-its-kind communication network, launched a comprehensive public Wi-Fi system to facilitate internet users. Currently, there are 150 Wi-Fi kiosks in the New York City.

It has been nearly two months since the project launched. The residents of New York City have experienced breathtakingly fast speed during this time period. The unprecedented hike in speeds of Wi-Fi networks has become a cause of concern for the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), about the so called privacy and security of the users’ data.

In a letter, addressed to New York Mayor, Mayor Bill de Blasio, the NYCLU has raised concern against the CityBridge- the company that manages Link NYC’s Wi-Fi kiosks – that people, who tend to use the kiosks, are entitled to provide their personal data at the time of registration. This allows, CityBridge to collect massive amount of data. The data includes information about frequently visited websites, time duration of the session, and the number of links available to click to an individual user. The company calls the collection a ‘massive database”.

Meanwhile, Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU holds the point of view that private online activities of people, living in New York City, should not be collected to create a database that is under the grasp of New York Police Department (NYPD).

“New Yorkers’ private online activities shouldn’t be used to create a massive database that’s within the ready grasp of the NYPD,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU. “Free public Wi-Fi can be an invaluable resource for this city, but New Yorkers need to know there are too many strings attached.”

This practice will only give an open chance of breach of online privacy and security, paving the way for an unnecessary NYPD surveillance. Although free Wi-Fi network facility should taken in a positive perspective, but New Yorkers must realize and understand that there are other things.  attached to the system as well.

The NYCLU has also shown concerns about the privacy policy of CityBridge. The Union wants the organization to clarify its instance on an individual internet users privacy and security. According to NYCLU, the privacy policy of CityBridge promises to make ‘reasonable efforts’ to clear out any identifiable personal information for a user, who has been inactive for the past 12 month”.     

A senior staff attorney at NYCLU, Mariko Hirose is also concerned about the security and privacy of New York City residents. It is a fact that internet is not a choice anymore. It has become a modern-day necessity of life.

“The city’s public Wi-Fi network should set the bar for privacy and security to help ensure that New Yorkers do not have to sacrifice their rights and freedoms to sign online,” he says.

Meanwhile, LinkNYC has dismissed all the concerns shown by NYCLU in connection with any illegal use of user information.

“The company has a customer-first privacy policy. LinkNYC does not collect or store any data on users’ personal web browsing on their own devices”, says Jen Hensley, general manager of  LinkNYC.

As far as access to kiosk information by NYPD or any other law enforcement agencies is concerned, they are required to present CityBridge with subpoena and other similar legal requests.

Well, nothing is good enough. How the stakeholders of the public Wi-Fi system are going to address the privacy and security issue of the internet users. Only time will tell. Let’s wait and watch.