this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2025
215 points (100.0% liked)

Privacy

3195 readers
349 users here now

Icon base by Lorc under CC BY 3.0 with modifications to add a gradient

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
top 17 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] otter@lemmy.ca 26 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Taps 'View Map'

Allow deflock.me to use your location?

I get why it's helpful, but this might discourage the target users from using the tool. Maybe it could request location only if the user taps a 'locate me' type button?

[–] ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Yeah, I wasn't a fan of that either. Still works if you block it, but as you say, it really shouldn't be requesting that at all.

I notice they have a general inquiry email in their contact section, maybe they'd be willing to take on your suggestion?

[–] AlecSadler@sh.itjust.works 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Holy shit there are a bunch in my podunk rural town.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

time to get those down to 0

[–] ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 20 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Fun fact: Flock cameras are susceptible to Lidar damage!

Benn Jordan also came up with a great way to prevent flock cameras from reliably reading license plates using the same methods that artists are using to poison their images for AI.

[–] FlyingCircus@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Can you share a brief description of the method so I don’t have to watch a 30 minute video? 😅

[–] ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Best I can do is link to the relevant part, since it's fairly complex and it'd take me quite a bit to summarize it to where it'd be useful information beyond what I already mentioned with the AI poisoning method.

[–] FlyingCircus@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago
[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 9 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] beetus@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

If you click into the website the op shared you'll easily find out. Flock is a network of automated license plate readers.

[–] FlyingCircus@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago

A key piece of information is that they freely share data with police and ICE. It’s marketed as a”safety” tool but really it’s a mass surveillance tool that will be used to commit crimes against humanity.

[–] LikeableLime@piefed.social 5 points 2 months ago

License plate cameras that they're using to track people. Police in Texas just recently used the Flock system to track a woman who went out of state to get an abortion. Actually terrifying stuff.

[–] rainbowbunny@slrpnk.net 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Is there currently any way to make sure you don't go near these in OSM or CoMaps, when driving? Like automatic routes around them

[–] Fiery@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Sadly the whole point of them is maximum tracking, so they're installed on key points of the roads. Mapping a route avoiding these is a fool's errand.

[–] mapu@slrpnk.net 5 points 2 months ago

Might still be nice to minimise them if it doesn't incurr a crazy time penalty?

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

isnt it be using by ICE NOW.

[–] ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 7 points 2 months ago

Yes it is, as are Ring Cameras.