Philly Cops Admit That They're Tracking "First Amendment Activity" Critical of AI

[SamuelTheThird]

https://theintercept.com/2026/06/01/ai-data-center-protest-police-surveillance/

The Intercept obtained the Philadelphia report as part of a larger cache of such documents from local fusion centers. It adds to growing evidence that counterterror officials are putting data center skeptics under a microscope. Last week, Wired magazine reported on other notices from local intelligence agencies warning about “anti-tech extremism.” Journalists Ken Klippenstein and Dan Boguslaw also reported on a document from the U.S. Capitol Police Intelligence Services Bureau warning of the potential for anti-data center violence.

The reports are tied to a genuine upswell in popular pushback against data centers. The opposition extends well beyond the mishmash of far-right and far-left groups identified in the Philadelphia fusion center’s report. Seven out of 10 Americans oppose having data centers as neighbors, a recent Gallup poll found.

The fusion center report frames the outcry as a potential first step toward violence, telling local police with jurisdiction over the roughly 16 data centers near Philadelphia that they should be aware of angry online posts.

[Scrivener7]

1. Good God. Everything about AI is sinister.

[patphil]

2. At some point, will AI companies start bringing court cases against anyone who criticizes it?

Anti-tech extremism?
It's not just the tech that's the problem, it's the the amoeba style engulf and consume methods of these mega-data centers, that suck up all the energy and water resources in the area.
These data-centers are being built and brought on line at break neck speed, with no concern about how they affect people's lives.
Between the job loss, resource hogging, environmental degradation, and the massive gathering of data at all levels of people's lives, I think there is a lot to worry about.
I don't want AI to be just another way to control peoples lives and limit their freedoms.

Strict controls are needed right now, before it gets to the point where we don't have the right to object, let alone interfere, with what is happening to us.

[purr-rat beauty]

3. Just another layer of the Police State

So....they serve and protect the data centers and their developers and keepers?

Sounds fascist to me

Looks like they need to find a new job as partisan policing of the 1st Amendment is NOT their job

[PATRICK]

4. Let's see

-tracking gun buyers-owners with mental issues or marital disputes
-tracking people who make violent threats about the police
-people who don't pay traffic tickets
-scammers pretending to solicit donations to the police
-enemies of the administration
-bizarre and violent online postings of any sort

OK, add hundreds of thousands of citizens who might be upset enough to complain about a world ending grift of robber power plants and job annihilating artificial brain slop among whom(though amazingly none to very few) will ever take action to save themselves and humanity, including the police and their families.

Multi-tons of prevention just for that extra flavor of intimidation.