Travelers should be increasingly concerned about surveillance technology

Security lines are nonexistent. Terminals are nearly empty. The barren curbside pickup area is what every business traveler and tourist dreams about. But the reality is much closer to a nightmare. For those whose work still necessitates air travel during the Covid-19 outbreak, their experiences at our nation’s airports are not the stress-free jaunt described above but an obligatory risk.

Uncertainty looms for the travel community in the face of this crisis, but leaders across all industries are working to sustain our businesses and the broader economy, prioritizing the safety of all travelers. While we don’t know when a sense of normalcy will return, we can all applaud our industry’s leadership in supporting our country’s fight against the virus. 

In the midst of the pandemic, the Business Travel Coalition has also been closely monitoring a lesser-known issue. It’s certainly secondary to the well-being of our members and other industry participants but is nonetheless important. It involves the use of government surveillance technology in cities nationwide, and unfortunately, its implementation has not been curbed by the pandemic.  It’s being developed without most travelers’ knowledge and input, and all travel advisors should be aware of the risks it poses to privacy and safety.

It’s called Mobility Data Specification (MDS). Created by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), MDS is a new standard of data collection that requires mobility companies like Uber and Lyft to provide the city government with access to real-time rider location information, including the start point, end point and route of each trip. It was rolled out as a pilot program for dockless bikes and scooters, but city officials have publicly expressed their intent to expand its use to all ride-hailing services. Already, more than 20 cities have followed the LADOT’s lead and started developing MDS systems.