COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING Tuesday – March 26th, 2024 – 6:30PM Permitting and Development Center – Event Center – Room 1405 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 78752 Some members of the BOARD/COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, email Dan Martinez at dan.martinez@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Nehemiah Pitts III, Chair Keith Pena-Villa Thomas Rice Maxine Eiland AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Steven Apodaca, Vice Chair Carina Alderete Gabriel Nwajiaku Sumit DasGupta The first ten speakers who register to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission Regular meeting on December 13th, 2023. 2. Approve the minutes of the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission Regular meeting on January 11th, 2023. STAFF BRIEFINGS 3. TARA Office briefing on the Request for Proposals for Community Technology Access Lab Management Services (Jesse Rodriguez – Program Manager, Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs Division of the Financial Services Department, City of Austin) DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. “You’re Being Watched – AI & Surveillance in Public Places” Presentation (Sharon Strover – Director, Technology & Information Policy Institute, Phillip G. Warner Regents Professor of Communication, Moody College of Communications, University of Texas at Austin) 5. Discussion Over Possible Follow Up Actions Regarding the Texas Digital Opportunity Plan Comment Period 6. Digital Inclusion Town Hall – University Hills (2/17/2024) Report out and discussion over possible follow up action. 7. Austin Community College Digital Inclusion Town Hall for Veterans & Military Families Planning Discussion DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 8. Finalize language for and approve FY25 budget recommendations 9. Discussion over the Grant for Technology Opportunities Program and the appointment of the Ex Officio Chair role FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations …
COUNCIL DATE: April 18, 2024 CITY OF AUSTIN RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL ACTION VENDOR: AUSTIN FREE-NET SUBJECT: Authorize negotiation and execution of a contract for Community Technology Access Lab Management Services with Austin Free-Net, for up to nine years for a total contract amount not to exceed $2,700,000. MBE/WBE: This solicitation was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9B (Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the services required for this solicitation, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established. However, the recommended contractor identified subcontracting opportunities. LEAD DEPARTMENT: Financial Services Department CLIENT DEPARTMENT: Telecommunication and Regulatory Affairs (TARA) FISCAL NOTE: Funding in the amount of $150,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Operating Budget of TARA. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. PURCHASING: The Financial Services Department issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) 7400 ALD3045 for these services. The solicitation was issued on December 11, 2023, and closed on January 18, 2024. The recommended contractor submitted the only responsive offer. A complete solicitation package, including a log of the offer received, is available for viewing on the City’s Financial Services website, Austin Finance Online. This information can currently be found at Austin Finance Online (austintexas.gov) PRIOR COUNCIL ACTION: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department – Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500. Respondents to the solicitation and their Agents should direct all questions to the Authorized Contact Person identified in the solicitation. BOARD AND COMMISSION ACTION: March 13, 2024 - To be reviewed by the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission. ADDITIONAL BACKUP INFORMATION (RCA BODY) The contract will provide support to Community Technology Access Lab (CTAL) facilities, collect retired devices from the private sector for refurbishment and distribution for public benefit by the City, and provide free basic digital skills training to any Austin resident that wants to participate. This contract will also support the Digital Empowerment Community of Austin (DECA) and annual City celebration of Digital Inclusion Week. These services are in alignment with the City’s Digital Inclusion Strategic Plan, Zero Waste by 2040, Circular Economy Commitment, and Climate Equity Plan goals. Eighty-three percent of participants in digital inclusion program will improve their skills. The contract will replace the current contract, which will expire April 30, 2024. The requested authorization amounts for …
Being Watched Embedding Ethics in Public Cameras Building technical, legal, and social approaches to maximize the trusted use of public camera-generated video data Technology & Information Policy Institute Dr. Sharon Strover, Leo Cao University of Texas at Austin September 13, 2023 Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission, Austin TX & Good Systems Agenda Project Overview Research Approaches Major Issues & Questions Preliminary Conclusions Next Steps A multi -component research approach Understand conceptions of privacy among citizens, local journalists, and city officials Identify open records law at State level and relevant data management issues Build and test differential access models Design smart city literacy training and initiate citizen engagement for traffic control Research Approaches Rely on experts, city officials, ordinary people, and city units in order to understand variations in informational norms. Delphi survey interviews case studies (e.g., Austin Public Library) focus groups public survey (fall 2023) workshops Toward Differential Access & Civic Policies Smart City Technologies Austin Fire Department ShotSpotter (not in use in Austin, as of 2021) H.A.L.O. cameras CCTV cameras traffic cameras red light cameras Austin Transportation Department Privacy, Contexts, and Publicness contextual integrity approach to examine norms& critical social values actors: subjects, senders, receivers types of information transmission principles– consent, reciprocity, etc. contexts e.g., How do you think about camera-mounted drones used by fire departments when fighting fires? s ubje ct: drone s , ca me ra s s e nde r: fire de pa rtme nt re ce ive r: re s ide nts , city units type s : ima ge s of pe ople , buildings , e tc. tra ns mis s ion: purpos e s , be ne fits , goa ls Research Methods qualitative illuminate meanings, values & norms associated with public technology + privacy seven focus groups: identify benefits and concerns seniors; students; EFF; civic activists; tech workers; tech executives; library users in-depth case study: Austin Public Library tour of camera system infrastructure, group & individual interviews w/ IT, Security, Frontline staff interviews with other City units: Fire Department; Mobility (transportation); Chief Privacy Officer; Innovation Officer Core Findings: Focus Groups benefits & concerns security aspects of surveillance tech younger people assume no privacy anyway; make sure tech is used for "good" …
COMMISSION RECCOMENDATION COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION NUMBER: 20240326-8 REGARDING: FY25 Recommendation for financial support for Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs (TARA) Division programming and digital inclusion efforts WHEREAS, our stated vision is for Austin to be a beacon of sustainability, social equity, and economic opportunity; where diversity and creativity are celebrated; where community needs and values are recognized; where leadership comes from its community members, and where the necessities of life are affordable and accessible to all; WHEREAS, it is the defined responsibility of the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission (CTTC), according to our bylaws, to "advise the city council on community technology, telecommunications services," and "new sources of funding for community technology projects," to help realize the stated vision above; WHEREAS, pursuant to the 2023 Work Plan, the CTTC hosted Digital Inclusion Town Hall Listening Sessions in 2022, 2023, 2024 and has unanimously agreed to host additional Digital Inclusion Town Listening Sessions; WHEREAS, pursuant to the 2023 Work Plan, the CTTC hosted the All Together For Digital Inclusion Stakeholder Summit on 12/1/2023; WHEREAS, these Listening Sessions and the Digital Inclusion Summit were developed with the help, coordination, and sponsorship of other key Digital Empowerment Community of Austin (DECA) members; WHEREAS, the goal of the Digital Inclusion Town Hall Listening Sessions was to convene community members in community spaces (i.e., libraries and community centers) to directly share their lived experiences with the CTTC and others. Moreover, to provide policy advisors, policy makers, and/or direct service providers firsthand insights about Digital Inclusion challenges, solutions, and potential opportunities to better serve the community through better-informed policy or service recommendations and implementations. With this support system for producing events and collaborative partnerships still soundly in place; WHEREAS, the successful 12/1/2023 Digital Inclusion Summit demonstrated how our digital inclusion ecosystem can benefit from a convening that would include businesses, internet service providers (ISPs), non-government organizations (NGOs), nonprofits, and government entities as key stakeholders and would support our 2014 Digital Inclusion Strategic Plan refresh; WHEREAS, the “Summary Report on the Digital Inclusion Stakeholder Summit” details these benefits here: https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=420732; WHEREAS, previous events have depended upon unsustainable support from CTTC leadership that coordinated all event resources while also generating fiscal sponsorship, financial support, and in-kind sponsorships WHEREAS, previous community events have utilized approved FSD-TARA budget for event interpretation services and refreshments WHEREAS, the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission (CTTC) acknowledges its responsibility, as defined by …
