NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives

Post by kube-system » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 8:03 PM UTC

borski wrote: post #205

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…

I don’t disagree with you in general, but: > Presumably, the cops are aware of previous disruption with these specific devices, or threats thereof. And it's not like they're going to say exactly what, nor should they, lest it give people ideas... I don’t think this is necessarily true. The TSA bans all sorts of crap solely because they feel like it, and not in the name of any kind of actual security. It is entirely p…

Post by robocat » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 8:27 PM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #151

kube-system wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you think is missing?

If there was a legitimate purpose for banning SBCs (there is not), then all computers with wifi would have to be banned. The external fact is that raspis are not a security risk. The internal contradiction is that raspis are computers. It's their whole selling point - they're ordinary PCs.

Post by robocat » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 8:32 PM UTC

armchairhacker wrote: post #221

Zenst wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Next it will be smart phones which can do many of the things these devices can do when rooted the right model. Not hard to make a walking stick that can do wireless shenanigans, that gets overlooked by all. Oh well, be mobile free zoning soon at this rate.

We really should ban phones at events like concerts and parties, where people don't want to be recorded, people on their phones dull the vibe... A mayoral inauguration? Personally I wouldn't ban it, but like rPIs, I don't see why it's a big deal either way. Your event, your rules (within reason).

Post by croes » Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 9:19 PM 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.

Post by jtbayly » Thu, Jan 01, 2026, 4:59 PM UTC

kube-system wrote: post #220

borski wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What’s more likely? That they were banned due to misunderstandings of what these devices are, or that they were banned they are “causing a disturbance”? Can you find an example of such a case? I’m not sure why this feels so important to defend. There are several definitions of security, but the most relevant (in this context) are: 1. the state of being protected against or safe from danger or threat. 2. the safety of…

I'm not changing anything -- my root comment in this thread specifically mentioned "disturbances". Mitigating disturbances to the proceedings of an event is plainly a part of event security. The "threats" evaluated in event security are not solely to life and limb but also to the proceedings of the event itself. I didn't think this required elaboration; I thought most people would be familiar with this function of ev…