Council confirms Evan M. Smith to ethics commission despite objections over his company’s surveillance products
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Summary
After a floor discussion about concerns tied to Ethosphere, the company founded by appointee Evan M. Smith, the City Council confirmed his appointment to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission on a 5–3 vote April 14.
The Seattle City Council confirmed Evan M. Smith’s appointment to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission on April 14 by a 5–3 roll-call vote after members debated concerns about his role with Ethosphere, a company that develops employee-surveillance tools.
Council member Rink removed the appointment from the consent calendar and raised ethics concerns tied to Ethosphere’s products, saying the company’s microphones and AI-based performance tools are “invasive, to put it lightly, and dystopian at worst.” Public commenter Charlotte asked the council to reject the nomination, arguing the appointee’s company products are incompatible with the commission’s mission.
Council members who supported confirmation defended Smith’s personal public-service experience. Council President Hollingsworth described Smith as having experience in government, education and leadership, and Council member Rivera said she had previously worked with Smith on oversight committees and found him “professional and committed.”
Roll-call voting produced five votes in favor and three opposed; the clerk announced the appointment confirmed and the council moved on to the next agenda items.
The confirmation closes the local appointment process; council members who opposed voiced concerns about worker privacy and the ethics implications of appointing a company founder to a body that addresses ethical standards.
