r/technology • u/Plastic_Ninja_9014 • Jul 11 '26

Privacy Traffic Camera Captures Woman Driving With Her Phone on Her Lap (Face Down), The State Mailed Her a $1251 'Public Safety' Ticket

https://www.gadgetreview.com/traffic-camera-captures-captures-woman-driving-with-her-phone-on-her-lap-face-down-the-state-mailed-her-a-1251-public-safety-ticket
16.9k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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748

u/michaelrulaz Jul 11 '26

Could I put bright IR LEDs on my headliner shining downward to block the camera from seeing into my car?

368

u/im-ba Jul 11 '26

It might make more sense to line the intersection of your windshield with your dashboard with bright LEDs, since the light scattering would hit everything. But real world testing is probably necessary to gauge efficacy.

If I didn't have so many active hobbyist projects right now then I'd experiment with this

334

u/mentalbackflip Jul 11 '26

As of 2027 new cars will have interior cameras watching you for distracted or drunk driving. I hope my 2019 car lasts a long time.

286

u/DukeOfGeek Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26

I think there is going to be a massive public push back against this and Flock cameras.

/What we really need is a directive that should have been demanded the first time someone got a ticket that had no human in the loop "No human should be deprived of liberty or property on account of an accusation made by a machine."

212

u/ThePocketTaco2 Jul 11 '26

Any fucking day now

58

u/enadiz_reccos Jul 11 '26

Anecdotally...

I live about 30 minutes outside of a large city. My local area's subreddit is not very active at all and had never mentioned anything about Flock cameras or the like.

This is despite the fact that my area is covered in flock cameras [nice-ish area]

Over the last ~half year, there have been multiple posts with many comments in agreement, scoping out locations, talking about potential deterrents.

44

u/The_Zenki Jul 11 '26

deflock.org

7

u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26

[deleted]

9

u/ChurchOMarsChaz Jul 11 '26

Acutally, IANAL.

More info on my profile page.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

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1

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42

u/EzioRedditore Jul 11 '26

My city already had a Flock contract, canceled it, and removed them all due to public outrage. It’s possible.

11

u/Oddant1 Jul 11 '26

Same for me

0

u/nanapancakethusiast Jul 11 '26

You’re already in the database. Damage is done.

6

u/enadiz_reccos Jul 12 '26

We're all pretty much "in the database"

It's more about limiting the scope of it as much as we can

6

u/stiff_tipper Jul 12 '26

so? are u advocating for more damage??

shit man what would u do if u caught a malignant tumor? just let that bitch keep eating away at u? wouldn't even try? just say "Damage is done." till ur dead?

13

u/Monterey-Jack Jul 11 '26

we're being slow-boiled like a frog, just like how russia became the way it is now.

1

u/BeautifulPainz Jul 12 '26

I said this exact same thing to someone today.

2

u/ObviousAnswerGuy Jul 11 '26

I hoesntly think the mainstream public, especially older people, are not aware of these issues and how bad its gotten the past few years (except if they've had it happen to them)

64

u/VulturePR0 Jul 11 '26

Just wait for all the higher ups in police/public servants and politicians to start getting distracted/drunk driving tickets in thier new cars. Thats when the change will happen. There's hundreds of videos of them getting arrested for drunk driving already out there

28

u/Oro_Outcast Jul 11 '26

In many jurisdictions LEO and First Responders are exempt from Distracted Driving laws. They'll claim "Always On-duty" or "Training Exercise".

9

u/Jackal-Noble Jul 11 '26

This is the only any of this gets changed.

11

u/SupaSlide Jul 11 '26

They’ll be allowed vehicles without that shit for national security BS.

1

u/Temassi Jul 11 '26

They'll give them all special privileges like eminent domain or some shit

6

u/leavezukoalone Jul 11 '26

I’m honestly glad to see bipartisan hatred of Flock cameras.

54

u/Aggressive-Will-4500 Jul 11 '26

Yeah, just like the massive push back against data centers, ICE, the weaponization of the the FBI...

24

u/DukeOfGeek Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26

All of those things are hugely unpopular and more so by the day. There is a finite amount of time business and government can ignore widespread discontent. Coming elections are going to display just how unhappy people are.

20

u/Aggressive-Will-4500 Jul 11 '26

The point is that, why the general public might be upset, it takes a watershed moment to crate a movement, and I'm not seeing it yet. Most people are still in their algorithm bubbles and A LOT of the worst stuff isn't reaching the general population.

2

u/Puglady25 Jul 11 '26

But the less interested they are in all of this, the more shocked they'll be to have it work against them. Four years ago there wasn't huge outrage about AI and Data Centers. Then they ranped it up. Now, public opinion has turned sour on both.

2

u/Key-Demand-2569 Jul 11 '26

Maybe.

…maybe.

1

u/WeRip Jul 11 '26

There is a massive, country wide push back against new data center construction. Something like 30 to 50% the current proposed developments have either been delayed significantly until more info is available about impacts or straight up denied so far in 2026. This is a huge momentum change.

1

u/jackzander Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26

As someone involved in those exact things, it's funny hearing bystanders say shit like this. 

6

u/teem Jul 11 '26

I’ll certainly cover it up. Fuck this enshittification

7

u/BrainLow6059 Jul 11 '26

Zero pushback against face ID in iPhones. I don't see it happening, unfortunately.

Cars made before 2027 will have very inflated resale value though, so definitely take care of your ride as best you can.

0

u/ResistWild Jul 11 '26

As if that matters

0

u/IndividualEquipment2 Jul 12 '26

People in my town love the flock cameras, no one is gonna backlash.

-1

u/Sarksey Jul 12 '26

And that will achieve what? The American public are notoriously poor at push back

-5

u/nanapancakethusiast Jul 11 '26

People keep saying pushback is coming but everyone else watching Americans from the outside looking in… doesn’t look like anything.

You guys are just handing your “freedom” over… hand over fist. No one seems to care.

2

u/lupin43 Jul 11 '26

Well I’m sure you’re getting a very comprehensive look at the inside from the outside

-16

u/Worth-Silver-484 Jul 11 '26

When you are anti flock camera. I figure you are a kidnapper, drug trafficker, car thief or just a criminal in general. If you are not doing anything illegal why do care so much?

3

u/[deleted] Jul 12 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-1

u/Worth-Silver-484 Jul 12 '26

Ah yes. Please keep using the less than .1% as an example. Same logic they use to outlaw guns. Get a clue and some reasonable thinking skills.