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rglover 1 hours ago [-]
IMO, when they have to hide, that's the beginning of the end. Too many people are aware of the what/why now. And above all else, once the tables turn on elected officials and they realize they're under the same surveillance, I bet their tune will change (likely due to a public egg-on-face moment involving illegal or suspicious activity). If people keep the pressure on, this will be a "remember when" rather quickly.
Cider9986 47 minutes ago [-]
Government officials should be highly transparent. Privacy for the people, transparency for the government.
dylan604 33 minutes ago [-]
I'm waiting to find out that Flock systems do not log the data when the plates are recognized as gov't issued plates.
remusrm 18 minutes ago [-]
[dead]
awesome_dude 37 minutes ago [-]
There's a balance that needs to be struck, politicians are humans too
atmavatar 27 minutes ago [-]
Politicians are humans who knowingly choose to enter public office for the sake of exercising power, whether for altruistic or nefarious reasons (or some combination thereof).
The power is why politicians deserve greater scrutiny than the average person, and anyone who wants to keep their privacy intact can choose not to run for office. The loss of privacy (usually at the hands of the press) is already an implied cost of running for and holding office.
analog31 21 minutes ago [-]
I think there's a balance that needs to be struck, in proportion to actual power. A senator or cabinet member deserves more scrutiny than a small town city clerk. Also, there are private individuals who knowingly exercise more power than that clerk.
everforward 4 minutes ago [-]
I think you misunderstand the balance of power. If you're talking about power over you specifically, your local clerk almost certainly has more than your senator. If they both want to make your life suck, the clerk is the one with the relationship to the local PD, the ability to make your filings get lost in a pile for a couple days so they were technically filed late, etc. Your senator or representative is likely in 0 of the processes you are likely to engage in unless you're notable enough that you specifically get targeted by the state legislature.
> Also, there are private individuals who knowingly exercise more power than that clerk.
This is partially a pet peeve of mine, but again, almost certainly not. I struggle to think of someone with more ability to kill a project than a clerk that refuses to do their job.
Kim Davis was a clerk that refused a literal Supreme Court order. As best I can tell, she did 5 days in jail and launched a million dollar speaking career out of it. Bezos or Musk can be absolutely sidelined by a clerk who is pissed off enough to accept eventually getting fired as a result.
awesome_dude 17 minutes ago [-]
You are making a political statement there, does that not make you a politician?
black6 33 minutes ago [-]
Not once they put themselves into the public sphere. They become chattel, bought and sold by special interests.
FireBeyond 58 minutes ago [-]
Some of that is already happening, in DC of all places, where the DC Police Officer's Union is protesting against use of Flock by ... the DC Police (albeit Internal Affairs).
Something about "this technology is invasive and violates the right to privacy of our members"...
derbOac 2 hours ago [-]
If Flock wants to be used by public services, it should be subject to maximum transparency. If you don't want your camera locations public, don't offer them to the public for their use.
AKSF_Ackermann 1 hours ago [-]
I would like to point out that the website in question has a button to download the entire dataset. Probably would be a good idea to save a copy.
JKCalhoun 1 hours ago [-]
I still want to see a driving game, perhaps using Google maps, where you try to get from point A to point B and not pass any Flock cameras.
pennomi 57 minutes ago [-]
I’m working on an OpenStreetMap-powered map generator in Godot, this would probably be quite easy to build.
nxobject 60 minutes ago [-]
That would make for a “fun” (if depressing) Glider environmental hazard.
bilekas 38 minutes ago [-]
I am starting a surveillance company in the US. I'll sell the data to anyone who wants. I'll put cameras up wherever I like, call it protection of the people, the police will enjoy it doing a lot of work for them and then I'll point cameras squarely at my competition, 24 hours a day, 365 a year, until they ask for regulations.
If anyone would like to kickstart let me know.
ejj28 7 minutes ago [-]
Y Combinator had no problem backing Flock, you should give them a try.
bilekas 4 minutes ago [-]
Flock are competition, their investors would never like my idea.
NoboruWataya 39 minutes ago [-]
Interesting that the site is only available in the US. I wonder why that is.
ortusdux 1 hours ago [-]
Could the map's creator be held liable if Flock can demonstrate this map in particular was used to destroy cameras?
dylan604 30 minutes ago [-]
Can Google/Apple/et al be held liable if demonstrated that any criminal used maps in prep for any crime?
collabs 1 hours ago [-]
In my uninformed opinion that would be a dangerous precedent if there is no proven collusion or conspiracy to act together. I anal though so I'll wait for people who know the law to respond.
moate 1 hours ago [-]
Highly unlikely (but hey, anything's possible when you're flirting with an authoritarian regime). They would need to demonstrate that the map was made TO destroy cameras if to have real merit.
Axon and Motorola must be pretty satisfied with all this.
paimapi 48 minutes ago [-]
for what it's worth, the DeFlock maps also include Axon/Motorola cams. they pick up my city's custom implementation too so the anti-surveillance movement is really benefiting from this Flock-focused hate
forshaper 8 minutes ago [-]
worth something! I wasn't aware that they picked those up.
heliomattress 46 minutes ago [-]
flock CEO's last name is "Langley" ? you can't make this stuff up.
protocolture 10 minutes ago [-]
Jimmy CIA here to sell you a new security product.
adolph 57 minutes ago [-]
Clickbait. The website proprietor received a 3rd party trademark infringement complaint. If people in the company would prefer the map to be offline, they are taking a very roundabout way of accomplishing it.
On Thursday, Michael was notified that Doppel, which describes itself as an “AI-native social engineering defense platfom,” filed a trademark infringement complaint regarding his site, claiming to be working on Flock’s behalf. Doppel says that the site is using the trademark “FLOCK SAFETY” without authorization, which “may cause customer confusion / harm.” Doppel requested the site be taken down.
plorg 39 minutes ago [-]
>they are taking a very roundabout way of accomplishing it
Doppel requested the site be taken down.
Actually that seems pretty direct.
adolph 16 minutes ago [-]
The article says it's a trademark dispute. A cease and desist letter is a normal part of the process.
ButlerianJihad 3 minutes ago [-]
> "AI-native social engineering defense platfom"
Is that the description of the law firm? Because it sounds like how a law firm would self-describe. Let's get some founders of law firms to put this in their mission statements.
Furthermore, the EFF and Cory Doctorow could embrace this slogan. Especially the FSF. Richard M. Stallman would totally have adopted this description 35+ years ago.
moate 25 minutes ago [-]
The fact that they can't go to the court and say "It pisses me off that this guy is doing what he's doing" and instead have to, ya know, try a case based on the actual laws that exist, seems to be confusing you about what "direct legal action" is.
adolph 5 minutes ago [-]
The article's headline is the claim: "Flock Wants the Most Detailed Map of Its Surveillance Cameras Taken Offline"
The basis for this is an undisclosed trademark letter from a 3rd party. The company in question may or may not want the map taken down. However, the article offers scant evidence for the headline claim. That is why it is clickbait. It promises something large and delivers something minimal.
The security researcher in question has certainly made a splash however. Promising new levels of people mad at Flock is definitely the way to create some bona fides.
The power is why politicians deserve greater scrutiny than the average person, and anyone who wants to keep their privacy intact can choose not to run for office. The loss of privacy (usually at the hands of the press) is already an implied cost of running for and holding office.
> Also, there are private individuals who knowingly exercise more power than that clerk.
This is partially a pet peeve of mine, but again, almost certainly not. I struggle to think of someone with more ability to kill a project than a clerk that refuses to do their job.
Kim Davis was a clerk that refused a literal Supreme Court order. As best I can tell, she did 5 days in jail and launched a million dollar speaking career out of it. Bezos or Musk can be absolutely sidelined by a clerk who is pissed off enough to accept eventually getting fired as a result.
Something about "this technology is invasive and violates the right to privacy of our members"...
If anyone would like to kickstart let me know.
Is that the description of the law firm? Because it sounds like how a law firm would self-describe. Let's get some founders of law firms to put this in their mission statements.
Furthermore, the EFF and Cory Doctorow could embrace this slogan. Especially the FSF. Richard M. Stallman would totally have adopted this description 35+ years ago.
The basis for this is an undisclosed trademark letter from a 3rd party. The company in question may or may not want the map taken down. However, the article offers scant evidence for the headline claim. That is why it is clickbait. It promises something large and delivers something minimal.
The security researcher in question has certainly made a splash however. Promising new levels of people mad at Flock is definitely the way to create some bona fides.