by: Sandy White, President & CEO, Alliance for Dade
Questions have recently been raised regarding the EarthCam located in downtown Trenton, including
concerns about privacy, public safety and the possibility of the camera being used to monitor residents.
Those concerns deserve to be heard and addressed. They also provide an opportunity to explain why the
camera is here, what it actually does and, equally important, what it does not do.
The most important distinction is that Trenton’s EarthCam is a public tourism and live-view camera. It
doesn’t read license plates and doesn’t report to law-enforcement. It is not a surveillance system
of any kind.
Why Is There an EarthCam in Trenton?
The Trenton camera is part of EarthCam’s partnership with America250, an initiative connected with the
celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
The goal is to expand public access to tourism locations across America through live-streaming cameras,
allowing people around the world to experience communities in real time. The program includes
nationally significant sites as well as small towns and is intended to encourage people to discover these
destinations for themselves. EarthCam describes its public camera network as featuring scenic views,
city skylines and tourism destinations.
George Williams, Chairman of Alliance for Dade, stated that Trenton and Dade County’s participation in
the EarthCam initiative provides a unique opportunity to showcase the community’s downtown,
Appalachian landscape and small-town character to potential visitors across the country and around the
world.
Tourism plays an important role in our local economy. Giving someone who may be considering a trip to
our area a live glimpse of our community is another way to introduce visitors to Dade County and
encourage them to experience it in person.
What Can Someone See?
Because EarthCam provides a live view of a public street, people and vehicles traveling through the
camera’s field of view may appear on the stream. EarthCam describes the Trenton camera as a “live
street view of Trenton” designed to showcase the Dade County seat and its mountain setting.
However, there is a significant difference between viewing a public scene and having technology capable
of identifying and tracking a particular person or vehicle.
A viewer cannot enter a person’s name, license plate number, vehicle description or other identifying
information into the public Trenton EarthCam page and retrieve that person’s movements. The webpage
page is presented as a live destination view, not an automated identification or law-enforcement tracking
system.
Alliance for Dade Asked EarthCam Directly
Rather than make assumptions about the camera’s capabilities, Alliance for Dade contacted EarthCam
directly and asked specific questions about what is recorded, how long footage is retained, who has
access, whether audio is captured, what controls are available and whether any identification or tracking
technology is enabled.
EarthCam provided the following information:
• The camera records only what is directly within its field of view.
• Footage is retained for four days on EarthCam’s server, which only EarthCam can access.
Archived footage is available to the public for 24 hours.
• Administrative access is limited to Alliance for Dade and EarthCam.
• The camera does have audio; however, only ambient noise can be heard.
• The camera is in a fixed position and does not pan, tilt or zoom.
• No one other than EarthCam has access to the camera’s controls.
• Most importantly, EarthCam confirmed that there is no artificial intelligence, facial-recognition
technology, license-plate-recognition technology or person-tracking technology on the
camera.
EarthCam further stated that the camera is solely for tourism purposes and is intended only to showcase
the view of our community.
These answers provide important factual information for residents who have questions about the
camera and help distinguish the Trenton EarthCam from other types of camera technology.
What About the Braselton Police Chief Case?
One of the concerns raised about the EarthCam referenced the case involving former Braselton Police
Chief Michael Steffman and the alleged misuse of camera technology.
The Braselton case is real, and it provides an important reminder about the need for responsible use of
technology. However, the technology involved in that case was fundamentally different from Trenton’s
EarthCam.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced in November 2025 that Steffman had been charged with
violation of oath, stalking, harassing communications and multiple counts involving the alleged misuse
of an automated license plate recognition system. Those were allegations and charges resulting from a
GBI investigation and should not be presented as proven facts unless established through the legal
process.
The system involved in that case was Flock Safety license plate reader technology.
Flock describes license plate recognition systems as cameras combined with data processing that
converts vehicle and license plate images into computer-readable information. Stored information can
include a plate number, state, vehicle image and characteristics, date, time and camera location.
Authorized users can search that information, and the technology can generate real-time alerts involving
flagged vehicles.
That is not what the Trenton EarthCam does.
EarthCam has specifically confirmed that the Trenton camera has no AI, facial recognition, license
plate recognition or person-tracking technology. The camera is fixed and does not pan, tilt or zoom.
The Braselton case therefore demonstrates why it is important to understand the capabilities of
technology being used in public spaces, but it does not mean that all cameras operate in the same way.
What About the Safety of Children?
Concern has also been expressed that someone with bad intentions could watch a publicly available
camera and learn the habits of children or other residents.
Parents and residents have every right to consider the safety implications of any publicly accessible
technology. However, the Trenton camera cannot be used for this purpose.
EarthCam has confirmed that the Trenton camera does not contain facial recognition, license plate
recognition or person-tracking technology.
Privacy Concerns Deserve a Factual Conversation
Some residents may simply be uncomfortable with the idea of a publicly accessible camera operating
continuously in a downtown area. That is a legitimate opinion, and people can reasonably have different
views about the appropriate use of cameras in public spaces.
What is important is that the community discussion be based on the actual capabilities and purpose of
this particular camera.
The Alliance for Dade believes residents deserve clear answers when questions are raised about projects
within our community. Asking questions and seeking factual information is an important part of that
process.
The Alliance also believes there is value in highlighting Dade County with people who have never
experienced it before. Our mountains, outdoor recreation, businesses, attractions and small-town
character give visitors many reasons to come here. The EarthCam provides one more window into our
community and an opportunity for people elsewhere to discover what we already know makes Dade
County special.
Privacy and tourism do not have to be opposing goals. By providing accurate information, maintaining
transparency and listening to community concerns, we can promote Dade County while remaining
thoughtful about the technology we use to do so.
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