Very interesting article but the title is clickbait at best and Big Brother propaganda at worst. The NSA is still as strong as ever in Oakland. Corporations are still selling spy cameras and microphones disguised as cell phones or entertainment centres. The population is still distracted by the lottery and by sports and by politics. Big Brother plays tricks where it makes you think you're not being surveilled by 'losing' public battles. But it does not lose. Articles written to make the citizens feel good about the current state of increasing surveillance are likely written by friends of Big Brother.
Neither Oakland nor any other US city has, or ever will, "beat" Big Brother. Not unless there is global systemic change and current surveillance powers are ended.
There's literally nothing other than angry Twitter accounts for a three letter agency to monitor in Oakland. I'm sure the NSA cares about the plight of CVS managers whose stores get vandalized in the inevitable riots.
Now, I can see the NSA much more concerned about spying about 35 miles southwest of Oakland.
Neither Oakland nor any other US city has, or ever will, "beat" Big Brother. Not unless there is global systemic change and current surveillance powers are ended.