this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2026
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deflock.me

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Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are AI-powered cameras that capture and analyze images of all passing vehicles, storing details like your car’s location, date, and time. They also capture your car’s make, model, color, and identifying features such as dents, roof racks, and bumper stickers, often turning these into searchable data points. These cameras collect data on millions of vehicles—regardless of whether the driver is suspected of a crime. While these systems can be useful for tracking stolen cars or wanted individuals, they are mostly used to track the movements of innocent people.

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[–] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 208 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

How could the cameras ID them? I thought they only read license plates? /s

[–] X@piefed.world 61 points 3 weeks ago

🫪 ah fuck they got us run

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[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 107 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

That fucking spray foam shit is impossible to get off.

[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@piefed.world 19 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Lots of tongue and a tiny bit of teeth and you’ll be getting them off all day.

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[–] turdburglar@piefed.social 90 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

naw, they didn’t do it. they were with me eating ice cream.

[–] X@piefed.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

can confirm, it was the squirrels in the area, those lil fuckers are smart af

[–] hemmes@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Everyone knows squirrels run the world, don’t fuck with squirrels

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[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 83 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

We should be careful about spreading this news around. It might trigger a wave of copycat attacks and significantly impair Flock's ability to go about their business of spying on everyone. And the more this happens the less likely they are to win new contracts, so their whole business could end up in serious trouble. So think about whether you really want to get these stories seen by lots of people.

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[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 74 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Be careful with the type that is meant to insulate walls, they spray a lot farther, and make a real mess. Be sure to wear PPE if you use this type. A full face mask is recommended.

[–] xav@programming.dev 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I'd say a full face mask is always recommended for this type of ... civic work.

[–] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 45 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Hear me out: Paintball projectiles containing expanding foam. Someone figure this out.

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 25 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Get the antifa r&d division on this asap

[–] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
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[–] X@piefed.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

Oh shit now we’re talkin, someone smarter than me get on that please it’d be awesome

[–] talentedkiwi@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Two part epoxy? Two guns two types....

[–] Vicinus@piefed.zip 10 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

You could have the 2 parts separated internally in the same ball (kind of like a cold/hot pack that you "crack" to activate). On breaking (or shooting) the barrier is broken and the two parts mix.

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[–] Janx@piefed.social 37 points 3 weeks ago

Whoever they allegedly are, I saw them elsewhere at the time of the incident.

[–] aldhissla@piefed.world 28 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Nah, those cameras come with foam on the lens. Nothing to see here.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 9 points 3 weeks ago

I see what you did there. Mostly because I don't have foam on my glasses.

[–] boobookittyfrick@lemmy.zip 26 points 3 weeks ago
[–] TwodogsFighting@lemdro.id 26 points 3 weeks ago

That damn Netanyahu if at it again!

[–] isleepinahammock@lemmy.blahaj.zone 25 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

What type of foam? Looks like Great Stuff. It's great stuff.

[–] elevenbones@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 weeks ago

This guy spray foams

[–] Itdidnttrickledown@lemmy.world 23 points 3 weeks ago

They were dressed in navy blue with badges, guns and cuffs. The call was coming from inside the dystopia.

[–] iceonfire1@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago

O yeah, I actually saw some ICE agents nearby when it happened. How many would you say it would have taken to do this?

[–] Chivera@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago

Just boys being boys

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
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[–] echodot@feddit.uk 21 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Not that I imagine anyone is really inclined to help the police with their inquiries but given the fact that the police don't have any information I'm not sure how the public are going to help.

Here's a crime scene there are no apparent witnesses and no fingerprint evidence, please help.

What exactly did they expect to happen here? Even if somebody did come forward and point the finger of blame st someone, there's no actual evidence you could go to court with.

[–] Kushan@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Since when did the US police need actual evidence to harass people?

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[–] MoonRaven@feddit.nl 20 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

They were staying in my house in the Netherlands when this happened.

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[–] greedytacothief@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 3 weeks ago

It seems like these flock camera things are too expensive to maintain.

[–] wieson@feddit.org 19 points 3 weeks ago

There are about 200 species of wasps. You've heard of paper wasps, this must've been foam wasps.

[–] mastod0n@lemmy.world 18 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Nah, we had a movie night when this happened.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 weeks ago

We were all there

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 17 points 3 weeks ago

you can help us by giving us all the location of the flock and axon cameras.

[–] sam_the_tech@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

I may be paranoid, but I’m starting to think this is some sort of test...why wouldn’t they just install 360° cameras. Like with Skydio lobbying the US government to ban DJI drones. It feels like they want us to take these cameras down. Is flock the only camera system in the US? Why are we so focused on flock cameras? Anyway, I’m off to the hardware store to pick up some expanding foam for a DIY home project in my garage.

[–] scutiger@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

There are other cameras. Axon is another company that sells them, but their system only runs regionally, not nationally, which is why Flock was chosen in the first place. A bunch of towns are removing Flock cameras and replacing them with Axon, and a lot of people haven't heard of Axon so it goes unnoticed.

[–] halcyoncmdr@piefed.social 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I don't understand how people haven't heard of Axon. They make Taser, it is literally their brand name for the device. They also make the vast majority of police body cams, and related systems for things like vehicles now.

They're mentioned in the news basically every time something happens with their shit.

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[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Axon is the up and coming flock replacement and they’re talking about hiding the cameras in street lights. Axon is Blackrock.

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[–] Zuberiii@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Too many people are going to "sneak up" on a flock camera just to have it ID their phone

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[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I know exactly who did that. I just can’t remember their names, genders or anything else important that may be helpful in getting to the bottom of this malarkey.

Sooooo, reckon there’s that.

[–] SacralPlexus@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It’s ok another commenter positively identified the perp as Benjamin Netanyahu so hopefully the authorities can arrest him.

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[–] peetabix@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 weeks ago

Whoever it was, they were playing boardgames with me that day.

[–] Jaysyn@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (4 children)

I need this in paintball format.

Also, would it be illegal to put bounties on dead Flock cameras?

[–] explodicle@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 weeks ago

Absolutely, horribly illegal.

Hey you know how it's legal to bet on wildfires? It would sure be nuts if people started legally betting on flock camera vandalism.

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[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 8 points 3 weeks ago

So what have we learned in this "all surveillance, all the time!" world? You sneak up on things from behind. That sticky, hard to remove, expanding foam is not that expensive and is available everywhere now that winter is on it's way.

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