A new database aimed at tracking surveillance companies was launched this week through the combined efforts of Privacy International and Transparency Toolkit.
The Surveillance Industry Index (SII) is a searchable database with 2,350 listings of companies, documents, and security technologies, and is, "the world's largest publicly available educational resource of data and documents on surveillance... based on data collected by journalists, activists, and researchers across the world," according to a press release from Privacy International.
M.C. McGrath, founder of Transparency Toolkit, says:
"By collecting a variety of documents and datasets about the surveillance industry into a single, comprehensive archive, the Surveillance Industry Index offers one of the most complete overviews of surveillance tech being sold around the world. Additionally, the searchable SII archive enables people to rapidly filter, find, and understand the surveillance technologies likely to affect their lives and work. We hope that simplifying the process of researching this secretive industry will help journalists, activists, researchers, policy makers, and anyone concerned about surveillance better respond to issues caused by surveillance technology."
Privacy International and Transparency Toolkit are both non-profit organizations, who have combined efforts for months to produce the database. The site was originally launched solely by Privacy International in 2013, but was taken offline after a bug was discovered. This year they teamed up with Transparency Toolkit to redesign the site, which is hosted on their LookingGlass software.
London-based Privacy International was the first organization to work internationally on privacy issues, and has been around since 1990. Transparency Toolkit creates free software to analyze data relating to surveillance and human rights issues, and then works to disseminate that information.
Edin Omanovic, Research Officer at Privacy International, says:
"State surveillance is one of the most important and polarizing issues of our time, yet the secrecy around it means it's a debate lacking reliable facts. Understanding the role of the surveillance industry, and how these technologies are traded and used across the world, is crucial to not only understanding this debate, but also fostering accountability and the development of comprehensive safeguards and effective policy."