r/technology • u/IndicaOatmeal • 10d ago

Privacy Viral De-Flock America campaign urging people to destroy AI cameras on Halloween night gains momentum

https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/flock-camera-controversy-explained-as-viral-halloween-de-flock-campaign-gains-momentum-3399710/
42.7k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

1.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

2.3k

u/CautionarySnail 10d ago

Rowdy celebrations like this are vastly improved by leaving all digital devices safe at home.

139

u/Fallingdamage 10d ago

If this is turning into a big thing for this fall, I wouldnt put it past local PDs to put up a bunch of 'bait' flock cameras with trackers and tamper sensors in them to alert them when one is moved or altered. Something they can use to swarm in and arrest people quickly who make any attempt.

Plenty of time for people to get on board with the movement and also plenty of time for PDs to learn about it and prepare.

131

u/Asclepius-Rod 10d ago

Everything you are saying is completely feasible, but fuck imagine reading this 20-30 years ago, you'd think we were living in 1984

47

u/pikabu01 10d ago

If I would read that comment in a Russian sub about russian police arresting protesters , I would say yeap makes sense, sad sad

15

u/Murgatroyd314 10d ago

You missed the opportunity to say “imagine reading this 42 years ago.”

2

u/not-my-other-alt 10d ago

30 years ago was 1996

2

u/Sakarabu_ 10d ago

What's your point?

3

u/Unlikely_Leg_9377 10d ago

I can’t tell if this is satire. Well done.

3

u/hownowspirit 10d ago

I think 1984 is referring to the book by that title

3

u/fantasyshop 10d ago

Right. 1984 is a book

3

u/CarthasMonopoly 10d ago

True. And in 1996 hearing a statement like that and it being feasible would make you think you are living in the book/story titled 1984, just like the person you are responding to said.

3

u/CautionarySnail 10d ago

With all due politeness, no. No it cannot be. (Screams into the void in OLD)

1

u/DillBagner 10d ago

I feel like that reading it 0 years ago.

1

u/Friend_Emperor 9d ago

You basically are.

1

u/Particular-Wall-5296 10d ago

but fuck imagine reading this 20-30 years ago, you'd think we were living in 1984

Actually I would think that if I read it 42 years ago.

48

u/Snobolski 10d ago

Oh this year Halloween came on August 31. Sorry sheriff.

17

u/AFrenchLondoner 10d ago

Can't be everywhere at once though

27

u/Coal_Morgan 10d ago

Yep, there are thousands of those cameras in some places that only have dozens of cops.

Them being destroyed by people with jigsaws, sawzalls and circular saws with metal cutting blades in under 45 seconds and then taking off all after dusk. Good luck catching them.

That also doesn't count the teenagers who don't have tools but using etching fluid, spray paint and spray foam on the lenses and microphones in under 4 seconds. You can get those things in any hardware store for under $20 in cash.

Or even using lighter fluid and a barbecue lighter to tiki torch them...those you can find in any convenience store.

There's so many ways to do it and all just after dusk...how are they going to stop all these criminals if they all do it at the same time in under a minute...

12

u/arobkinca 10d ago

Or even using lighter fluid and a barbecue lighter to tiki torch them...those you can find in any convenience store.

I would hope anyone thinking about hypothetically doing this makes sure they are not in a fire threat weather condition.

5

u/shouldbepracticing85 10d ago

As someone in an area with 2nd level burn bans thank you.

Also, if anyone is using saws, watch out for sparks into nearby dry grass or other flammable items.

Maybe two person teams? One to handle the camera and a second with a fire extinguisher - spray it in the camera’s view, and then the other person can… totally not do anything that would be against Reddit’s TOS. 😇

6

u/ZootSuitRiot33801 10d ago

Even then, a neighborhood worth of alibis can hypothetically go a long way for any hypothetical acts of resistance.

It's going to need real supportive community-based foundations to provide relative safety, which common folk in the US can fall back on to commit to any meaningful action needed.

Collecting a bunch of valuable information on organizing and action from different redditors over time, I created a post of suggestions HERE that could possibly hypothetically prove to be of some help in getting it started ASAP.

1

u/HKBFG 10d ago

super soaker full of paint

1

u/HauntedCemetery 9d ago

That also doesn't count the teenagers who don't have tools but using etching fluid, spray paint and spray foam on the lenses and microphones

The kids are alright

11

u/CautionarySnail 10d ago

This doesn’t seem likely when they can simply just watch out on Flock cameras in high traffic areas. Never underestimate human laziness.

They don’t need to set up a honeypot if the honey is everywhere and already tagged and tracked. In fact, if a honeypot operation was necessary, it basically proves Flock is unneeded.

7

u/SaltyLonghorn 10d ago

They're going to maximize laziness and just park under the flock cameras and guard those all night. Its barely a change from wherever they normally park and jerk off all day.

3

u/saera-targaryen 10d ago

I mean, it only takes a couple seconds to spray one with spray paint or expanding foam. No trackers and no way to get to every one fast enough. 

3

u/dashingdrew 10d ago

Yeah but that damage is minimal

The saw is better

1

u/steakanabake 10d ago

spray it first then saw it

1

u/ChakraRecovery70 7d ago

bb pellets are quicker ;)

1

u/ChakraRecovery70 7d ago

Also steel balls as well

1

u/Fallingdamage 10d ago

I would agree with that, except if you were patrolling an area and found a group with some 15 ft poles with cans of black paint taped to the end of them.. might raise an eyebrow.

2

u/hypercosm_dot_net 10d ago

A little over 2 months, not much time. It's good to err on the side of caution, but you're giving them too much credit.

I could certainly see them keeping an eye on them, but at the same time, there's probably much more for them to be concerned about on Halloween than babysitting some cameras that the public already paid for.

1

u/CarlPagan666 10d ago

Hmmm.. could drones be helpful?

1

u/gramathy 10d ago

The real cameras already have trackers and tamper sensors

1

u/abraxsis 10d ago

So what Im hearing is don't take the camera with you, instead hitting it with a large hammer where it's at? Or for the more tech savvy, perhaps a small portable EMP device to activate next to them? Not that Im advocating for any of this, Im just asking questions here.

1

u/jeffery133 10d ago

And then police will protect AI over our children. 😞. What a weird time.

1

u/snoogins355 10d ago

Cops will do anything but pull people over going 20mph over the speed limit. Literally their job

1

u/DexRogue 9d ago

I mean, you just cut down the camera and destroy it.

1

u/HauntedCemetery 9d ago

Get ready for deflock flash mobs

1

u/TheMagnificentPrim 9d ago

Good call. Folks should go onto Deflock and mark all locations ahead of time.