NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives • Hacker News Board

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#161

Post by kube-system » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 1:44 AM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #159

kube-system wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think you understand the threat profile of a large public event. The typical threat to events like this are idiots who mimic crap they see on YouTube. Public safety isn't an exercise in evaluating every theoretical threat, because that list is too long to address with limited resources. It is an exercise in evaluating which threats are most commonly to be exploited, and the easiest to protect against. This is…

Raspberry pis are not a "likely threat," because they are not a threat. It's hard to get away from that fact when evaluating the absurdity of the ban.

Idiots running script-kiddy exploits on any device is a threat. The list says "Raspberry Pi" because of the utility in communication to the parties reading the list, not because it is technically accurate.

Cops are going to turn you away from this event if you carry in something that looks like circuit boards and wires.

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#162

Post by whatshisface » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 1:51 AM UTC

kube-system wrote: post #161

whatshisface wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Raspberry pis are not a "likely threat," because they are not a threat. It's hard to get away from that fact when evaluating the absurdity of the ban.

Idiots running script-kiddy exploits on any device is a threat. The list says "Raspberry Pi" because of the utility in communication to the parties reading the list, not because it is technically accurate. Cops are going to turn you away from this event if you carry in something that looks like circuit boards and wires.

A raspberry pi is a computer. It had HDMI ports on the back. You can put one in a box. Come on, man.

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#163

Post by waste_monk » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 1:57 AM UTC

ssl-3 wrote: post #140

crazygringo wrote: post #103

It's not like they're banning them across all of NYC... it's just security at the inauguration event. "Large bags" are banned too. > When a policy bans specific devices rather than behaviors or capabilities, it creates ambiguity for people on the ground. To the contrary, how the heck is someone working security at the entrance supposed to check for a device's "behaviors or capabilities"? This is a quick visual inspec…

There's no legitimate purpose in bringing crayons and a coloring book, or a box of paperclips, either. We should probably see to it that nobody brings any of those things in, as well.

>There's no legitimate purpose in bringing crayons and a coloring book

Presumably there might be children (or very bored adults) at the event?

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#164

Post by ptorrone » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 2:02 AM UTC

lacoolj wrote: post #128

Oh also, to the writer of this "news" article, maybe mask your emotion a little when writing...the news... Though I don't read Adafruit, so maybe this is a normal way of writing for them.

i am the writer. which specific emotions are you asking me to mask? confusion? concern? expertise?

the blog is written by people who use these tools — raspberry pi, flipper zero — in classrooms, accessibility projects. occasionally puppet shows. when a policy names devices, brand names specifically, instead of the actual threat, i wrote about it. at least you cannot complain i am ai... oh way, a i adafruit industries ! PAID POST FOR BIG AI

if this is where you get your news, welcome. the weather is still up next.

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#165

Post by kube-system » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 2:03 AM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #162

kube-system wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Idiots running script-kiddy exploits on any device is a threat. The list says "Raspberry Pi" because of the utility in communication to the parties reading the list, not because it is technically accurate. Cops are going to turn you away from this event if you carry in something that looks like circuit boards and wires.

A raspberry pi is a computer. It had HDMI ports on the back. You can put one in a box. Come on, man.

And? There’s a lot of things that people could theoretically do. The few seconds that someone is going through event security isn’t going to stop a competent attacker, nor is it reasonable to expect them to be able to do that.

The point is to stop the most common attackers who are sloppy idiots.

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#166

Post by _zagj » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 2:29 AM UTC

SoftTalker wrote: post #92

_zagj wrote: post #68

All of the comments so far have been about > le heckin' security theater targeting tinkerbros and none addressing the elephant in the room of why Mamdani needs all of this security, or frankly, any security at all? Just a few years prior, he tweeted out #DefundThePolice, and of the NYPD specifically, suggested "Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence." And even though he's walked some of that back, he stil…

they always exempt themselves

A glaring example, the previous soft-on-crime mayor, Bill de Blasio, had a security detail with him, even when traveling: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/nyregion/deblasio-settlem...

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#167

Post by ssl-3 » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 2:30 AM UTC

waste_monk wrote: post #163

ssl-3 wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no legitimate purpose in bringing crayons and a coloring book, or a box of paperclips, either. We should probably see to it that nobody brings any of those things in, as well.

>There's no legitimate purpose in bringing crayons and a coloring book Presumably there might be children (or very bored adults) at the event?

Perhaps so.

But that's not a legitimate use.

And the crayons' delicious nature can be used to distract and bribe the constabulary.

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#168

Post by ssl-3 » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 2:49 AM UTC

kube-system wrote: post #160

Denvercoder9 wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same's true for the radio on a Raspberry Pi, though.

True but they are commonly used to control other non-consumer (e.g. unregulated) radios via GPIO, and in POCs for threat exploitation demonstrations which are all over YouTube for idiots to mimic... and unlike phones they aren't carried around by almost everyone on a daily basis.

I simply adore how flexibly-placed the goalposts are in this particular game of Calvinball.

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#169

Post by alsetmusic » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 3:53 AM UTC

ssl-3 wrote: post #140

crazygringo wrote: post #103

It's not like they're banning them across all of NYC... it's just security at the inauguration event. "Large bags" are banned too. > When a policy bans specific devices rather than behaviors or capabilities, it creates ambiguity for people on the ground. To the contrary, how the heck is someone working security at the entrance supposed to check for a device's "behaviors or capabilities"? This is a quick visual inspec…

There's no legitimate purpose in bringing crayons and a coloring book, or a box of paperclips, either. We should probably see to it that nobody brings any of those things in, as well.

> There's no legitimate purpose in bringing crayons and a coloring book, or a box of paperclips, either.

Do you genuinely think that a parent with a small child does not have a legitimate reason to bring crayons and a coloring book to an event for adults or are you being hyperbolic? Cause this suggests either bad-faith or a profound lack of clarity about the issue and neither is good for your argument.

Re: NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

#170

Post by kube-system » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 4:36 AM UTC

ssl-3 wrote: post #168

kube-system wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True but they are commonly used to control other non-consumer (e.g. unregulated) radios via GPIO, and in POCs for threat exploitation demonstrations which are all over YouTube for idiots to mimic... and unlike phones they aren't carried around by almost everyone on a daily basis.

I simply adore how flexibly-placed the goalposts are in this particular game of Calvinball.

Seriously, this thread reads almost as if 5 different people have chimed in with their own individual thoughts