A new tool created by the youth-led digital advocacy group Gen Z For Change aims to reveal the extent of data collection by governments and tech companies. The project, called “Eyes on AI,” offers users a personalized surveillance assessment, showing how their daily habits contribute to a growing web of tracking. This isn’t just a privacy concern; it’s about power dynamics in the digital age.
The Rising Threat of Surveillance
The current political climate, coupled with rapid AI advancements, presents an unprecedented surveillance risk. Gen Z For Change’s executive director, Cheyenne Hunt, notes that young organizers, particularly those from marginalized communities, are already being targeted by government entities like ICE. The irony is stark: activists rely on the same platforms that threaten their safety.
The tool’s creators emphasize that surveillance isn’t limited to high-profile targets. Warrantless tracking is legal, and AI is making it more pervasive. Eyes on AI mimics viral online quizzes to engage users, but with far more serious stakes. The campaign’s message is blunt: “Your future is for sale.”
How the Tool Works
The assessment requires minimal personal input – just awareness of your own tech use. It doesn’t store data, runs locally in JavaScript, and is open-source on GitHub. The tool doesn’t ask for sensitive information but can still infer a lot about your digital habits: apps used, payment methods, even whether you’re a college student.
The goal, as digital strategist Hana Memon explains, is to demonstrate how seemingly harmless choices – religious apps, healthcare providers, travel patterns – feed into a comprehensive surveillance network. The assessment categorizes risks based on real-world threats, like automated license plate readers and predictive policing.
A History of Activism
Gen Z For Change has a track record of using digital tools for political action. They previously launched campaigns to pressure hotels against ICE boarding and mobilize votes for progressive candidates. The organization views strategic coding as a weapon against corporate and political power.
The group is now preparing a large-scale awareness campaign, including billboards, projections on landmarks, and policy advocacy. The lack of comprehensive privacy regulation in the U.S. makes this fight all the more urgent.
The reality is that young people have been treated as test subjects by tech companies. Gen Z For Change wants to equip them to fight back.
