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Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

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Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#11

Post by mullingitover »

I'm surprised the flock cameras aren't being disabled in a more subtle fashion.

All it takes is a tiny drone with a stick attached, and at the end of that stick is a tiny sponge soaked with tempera paint. Drone goes 'boop' on the camera lens, and the entire system is disabled until an expensive technician drives out with a ladder and cleans the lens at non-trivial expense.

A handful of enterprising activists could blind all the flock cameras in a region in a day or two, and without destroying them, which makes it less of an overtly criminal act.

Obviously not advocating this, just pointing out that flock is very vulnerable to this very simple attack from activists.

Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#13

Post by fzeroracer »

tl2do wrote: post #5

I have similar and deep privacy concerns. But I also know that cameras have helped find criminals and assist crime victims. I don't want to let fugitives go without punishment. In fact, I must admit that cameras are a realistic choice given the current technology. Flock Safety must be under public evaluation. Tech companies tend to hide technical specs, calling them trade secrets. But most internet security standards…

This has nothing to do with the actual problem, which is Flock itself.

The fact that Flock controls all of the cameras, all of the data and said data is easily accessible means police and the state have access to information that they should only get with a warrant. A business having a camera storing video data that's completely local isn't an issue. A business having a camera which is connected to every other business that has a camera is.

Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#14

Post by idle_zealot »

mullingitover wrote: post #11

I'm surprised the flock cameras aren't being disabled in a more subtle fashion. All it takes is a tiny drone with a stick attached, and at the end of that stick is a tiny sponge soaked with tempera paint. Drone goes 'boop' on the camera lens, and the entire system is disabled until an expensive technician drives out with a ladder and cleans the lens at non-trivial expense. A handful of enterprising activists could bl…

The goal here by activists isn't to directly physically disarm every camera. Like with any act of protest, it's at least as much about the optics and influence of public opinion. Visibly destroying the units is more cathartic and spreads the message of displeasure better. Ultimately what needs to change is public perception and policy.

Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#15

Post by tadfisher »

tl2do wrote: post #5

I have similar and deep privacy concerns. But I also know that cameras have helped find criminals and assist crime victims. I don't want to let fugitives go without punishment. In fact, I must admit that cameras are a realistic choice given the current technology. Flock Safety must be under public evaluation. Tech companies tend to hide technical specs, calling them trade secrets. But most internet security standards…

> I don't want to let fugitives go without punishment.

There is a famous quote about this that needs to be updated for the modern age.

"I'd rather let ten fugitives go unsurveilled, than to surveil one innocent person."

Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#16

Post by tiagod »

mullingitover wrote: post #11

I'm surprised the flock cameras aren't being disabled in a more subtle fashion. All it takes is a tiny drone with a stick attached, and at the end of that stick is a tiny sponge soaked with tempera paint. Drone goes 'boop' on the camera lens, and the entire system is disabled until an expensive technician drives out with a ladder and cleans the lens at non-trivial expense. A handful of enterprising activists could bl…

Goring them is about sending a message.

Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#17

Post by robotnikman »

mullingitover wrote: post #11

I'm surprised the flock cameras aren't being disabled in a more subtle fashion. All it takes is a tiny drone with a stick attached, and at the end of that stick is a tiny sponge soaked with tempera paint. Drone goes 'boop' on the camera lens, and the entire system is disabled until an expensive technician drives out with a ladder and cleans the lens at non-trivial expense. A handful of enterprising activists could bl…

Somewhat related, I'm pretty sure there was a guy in China who did exactly this as protest against their surveillance. Seems effective.

Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#18

Post by cheonn638 »

mullingitover wrote: post #11

I'm surprised the flock cameras aren't being disabled in a more subtle fashion. All it takes is a tiny drone with a stick attached, and at the end of that stick is a tiny sponge soaked with tempera paint. Drone goes 'boop' on the camera lens, and the entire system is disabled until an expensive technician drives out with a ladder and cleans the lens at non-trivial expense. A handful of enterprising activists could bl…

>All it takes is a tiny drone with a stick attached, and at the end of that stick is a tiny sponge soaked with tempera paint. Drone goes 'boop' on the camera lens, and the entire system is disabled until an expensive technician drives out with a ladder and cleans the lens at non-trivial expense

Americans don’t care enough

Too busy enjoying S&P500 near 7,000 and US$84,000/year median household income

Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#19

Post by mullingitover »

idle_zealot wrote: post #14
mullingitover wrote: post #11

I'm surprised the flock cameras aren't being disabled in a more subtle fashion. All it takes is a tiny drone with a stick attached, and at the end of that stick is a tiny sponge soaked with tempera paint. Drone goes 'boop' on the camera lens, and the entire system is disabled until an expensive technician drives out with a ladder and cleans the lens at non-trivial expense. A handful of enterprising activists could bl…

The goal here by activists isn't to directly physically disarm every camera. Like with any act of protest, it's at least as much about the optics and influence of public opinion. Visibly destroying the units is more cathartic and spreads the message of displeasure better. Ultimately what needs to change is public perception and policy.

Sure, but por que no los dos.

One or two cameras getting bashed is basically a fart in the wind for flock, and I'd argue that it doesn't actually move the needle in any direction as far as public opinion goes. Those who dislike them don't need further convincing, those who support them are not going to have their opinion changed by property destruction (it might make them support surveillance more, in fact).

But hey, it's provocative I guess.

On the other hand flock losing their entire fleet is an existential problem for them, and for all the customers they're charging for the use of that fleet. Their BoD will want answers about why the officers of the company are harming shareholders with the way they're operating the business. Cities that have contracts with them may have grounds to terminate them, etc etc.

Re: Across the US, people are dismantling and destroying Flock surveillance cameras

#20

Post by sidrag22 »

RickJWagner wrote: post #4

[flagged]

or you know... the rise of itunes/ipod at that exact time. present the public with an option that is not in a grey area and is not a massive inconvenience, and a large amount of them will happily go the legal route.

Its leaning that direction again, video streaming services are becoming a massive inconvenience, much like needing to buy a CD if you wanted 2 total songs off it. Doubt it will be as iconic of a moment in time as the limewire/napster era was, but who knows, im so bad at predicting the future i assumed nvidia was gonna be hard declining after the end of the crypto mining craze.

> sufficient to scare everybody back to honesty.

idk how you thought this would land here, but saying everybody was a rough choice of words.

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