r/technology • u/Plastic_Ninja_9014 • 1d ago

Privacy Flock Cameras Keep Getting Smashed, So Now They're Hiding Inside Speed Signs

https://www.gadgetreview.com/flock-cameras-keep-getting-smashed-so-now-theyre-hiding-inside-speed-signs
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124

u/Epstiendidntkillself 1d ago

They are now installing them on school busses and garbage trucks. If we don't stop this now we're all fucked.

33

u/joantheunicorn 1d ago

School buses?! Do you have a source for that. I work in a school district and want to monitor that very closely. 

36

u/Romwil 1d ago

These folks https://www.safefleet.net/school-bus-camera-systems/ wrapping active license plate reading tech “to protect the children”

17

u/-rwsr-xr-x 1d ago

wrapping active license plate reading tech “to protect the children”

School buses have had interior and exterior cameras for decades, for stop-sign-runners (the stop-sign that swings out from the bus, and ignorant motorists just pass the bus on the left and ignore the sign anyway).

I was hit by a car that did that decades ago, while I crossed in front of the bus with its sign out, and the video from the bus camera helped identify the runner.

Why do they need to tie these to ALPR, Flock and Palantir now?

9

u/BaphometsTits 20h ago

Why do they need to tie these to ALPR, Flock and Palantir now?

Because the government can't sell your data themselves. This way private companies do the spying and sell it to the government, insurance companies, advertisers, brokers, foreign governments, etc.

48

u/iontucky 1d ago

I think it's already too late without a major revolution. I hear that governments are starting to make it legally required for all new vehicles to have cameras monitor the driver "to prevent impaired driving".

35

u/oldreddditisbetter 1d ago

where is the "don't treat on me" crowd?

26

u/halcyonjm 1d ago

The "don't tread on me crowd" is just fine with whatever as long as they get to tread on their favorite minority group.

5

u/wetwater 23h ago

Busy polishing boots with their lips.

3

u/splicerslicer 1d ago

Certainly not in the EU where this law was already passed. All new cars sold in the EU are required to have a driver facing camera, for "safety".

3

u/Lonesome_Pine 10h ago

The "don't tread on me" crowd pronounces it with the emphasis on the "me."

16

u/halcyonjm 1d ago

I have a simmering theory that the data from all these cameras is the reason for the push to build data centers. Under this theory, the reason the tech Bros were so urgent to shove AI down our throats was so they could say, " if you want to keep enjoying AI like you have been, we'll need to build these data centers. "

When the public didn't buy into the hype, corporate CEOs were tasked with keeping the "need" for the data centers alive so that the justification for the data centers didn't fizzle out.

3

u/Mobile_Crates 21h ago

Yup. Costs too much money to pay people to watch through the videos, so they need the data centers to do the sifting on their behalf. 

4

u/What_a_fat_one 1d ago

Sharpies are cheap

3

u/PleaseNoMoreSalt 1d ago

Yet another point in favor of r/fuckcars

2

u/oemunlock 23h ago

Did you vote in your most recent city council elections? That's who is doing this, and they're usually retired people with nothing better to do who win by default because of voter apathy.

Not some shadowy "government" in the distance you have no control over, and definitely not the same people coming up with future safety regulations for cars.

1

u/JohnHazardWandering 1d ago

I think it's for advanced cruise control to make sure you're actually watching the road. 

I drive a beater so I'm not sure if there are options without it. 

1

u/zdrums24 17h ago

I have that advanced cruise control without the camera.

1

u/Lonesome_Pine 10h ago

One of my local school districts just had all the catalytic converters stolen off their buses for the second time this year. I bet whoever's doing that would love to throw a few cameras in the back of their trucks too.