this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2026

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People are 3D printing covers for Flock cameras in response to “indiscriminate mass surveillance" (www.howtogeek.com)

submitted 3 days ago by lowprofilestudio@lemmy.world to c/privacy@lemmy.world

28 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The internet is losing it.

all 29 comments

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[–] Aquila@sh.itjust.works 20 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

A plastic bag lined with tinfoil would be more practical. Quick and dirty faraday cage

[–] CorrectAlias@piefed.blahaj.zone 8 points 3 days ago

I bet a 3d printed case lined with foil would get the same thing accomplished and be less noticable for those who might notice a bag and take it down

[–] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 2 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Wouldn't it be suspicious if cameras loose their connection to the system? I guess in that case a technician would be sent out quickly.

[–] AHemlocksLie@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago

Sure would be a shame if they had to spend a ton of money sending techs all over the country to troubleshoot cameras with covers on them.

[–] jenings@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

Has the flock companies readiness to repair workforce ever been really assessed?

[–] Fallibilist@feddit.uk 12 points 3 days ago

I'm kind of surprised that anyone tolerated these in the first place. Considering that even rental scooters immediately get vandalized and thrown into a ditch, you'd just think that would be even more the case for something like that which has absolutely no use to the public whatsoever. Could probably easily snipe one with even just a pellet gun.

[–] Delilah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The camera is only a part of how it destroys privacy.

[–] notfromhere@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

What are the other part(s)?

[–] javasux@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The privatized database of location data that the police use without any of the regulations that usually apply to government surveillance

[–] notfromhere@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The Bluetooth readers as cars drive by, is that what you’re talking about?

[–] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 2 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Idk if the Flock cameras also scan Bluetooth, but they are the eyes of the system that feeds the database with location data and destroys privacy. By blinding the eyes, its input becomes coarser, its data older, but the previous data is still there.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 days ago

Idk if the Flock cameras also scan Bluetooth

Newer models do

[–] Honytawk@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 3 days ago

So if you close the eyes, that database can't create new data.

It isn't much but it is the first step.

[–] Janx@piefed.social 4 points 3 days ago

Anyone making them for others...?

[+] ObsidianFlux@fedinsfw.app -23 points 3 days ago (5 children)

Another pointless protest. Do people seriously believe this kind of performative gathering is going to stop indiscriminate mass surveillance? It's just the organizers creating more noise for self-promotion and microplastics everywhere 💀

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 32 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

OF, respectfully, your opinion is factually incorrect. Vigilantism has been key in the fight against flock, by elevating this movement to a national prominence that has achieved a significant, otherwise unimaginable victory.

Flock has lost nearly 500 contracts since June in 38 US states. This is because millions of average, otherwise apolitical people have been radicalized into participating in the boring, pedestrian democratic process and attending city council and county government meetings.

Think what you want, and TBH, I was surprised to learn all this too, but the people are achieving such a significant victory against Flock that they've had to buy out employees and financially restructure. That is a big fucking deal.

[–] y0kai@anarchist.nexus 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Hopefully people are taking down all ALPRs and not just helping flock's competition swoop in under the radar.

https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/tracking-alpr-cameras/other-alpr-vendors

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

People keep mentioning that there are competing brands, but there's not a ton of evidence to suggest a brand pivot.

Frankly, I don't think it'll matter. It's the technology that's pissed people off en masse, and changing brands doesn't change the fact that it fundamentally doesn't work as designed. Changing brands also doesn't change the fact that people who are supposed to be trusted with this shit routinely misuse it, and not only that, keep getting caught misusing it.

I just think there's something that people feel down in their DNA that this technology is fundamentally Un-American, and a brand pivot isn't going to fix the anger that's manifested against it across the whole country.

People will bust down these other cameras too.

[–] W98BSoD@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 days ago

[–] Bipauler@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

What if we could start 3D printing out of biodegradable materials?

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 8 points 3 days ago

You can. I'm sure there are actual biodegradable plant plastics you can get as filaments.

PLA, the most common material, can already be used in those industrial compost facilities that nobody actually has in their area.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You sound like a doomerist bootlicker that needs to fuck off

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 0 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Respectfully, your opinion is wrong too.

I get OF's perspective, because except for the few Jeff Soverns of the world, I didn't expect people to mobilize in a real way, en masse, countrywide against Flock. I didn't think they would because we've been living under the Patriot Act and FISA for almost thirty years and also more recently the Cloud Act.

The American people, generally, have shown themselves to be careless when it comes to protecting their personal privacy and civil liberties, and it's really hard to change one's opinion and learn more on this issue because the billionaire-owned media does not report on it, which is likely purposeful. (Partly why I have a YT channel on the topic.)

But then I made a YT video on the Flock Buyout and learned that, in fact, I was wrong and the people are seriously kicking Flock's ass. (And even more fun, Anti-Flock movements have been around for years now, too.)

I'm sure OF will maybe change their thinking after learning new info.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Respectfully, your opinion is wrong too.

No, it's not.

The problem with doomerism/cynicism/nihilism is that it suppresses people's will to enact positive change. People partake in it because in their mind it absolves them of responsibility, because there wasn't a chance to begin with.

If that's truly what someone thinks, then whatever. But they need to shut the fuck up about it and not spread it to others, because they're trying to convince people to give up too. And that only leads to the world becoming worse.

If there was a pandemic and someone was going around coughing on everyone else, would you condone that? Because that's not much different from this conversation

[–] HelloRoot@lemy.lol 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The problem with insulting somebody you disagree with is that it will rather solidify their opinion than make them reflect on it and change.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 0 points 3 days ago (1 children)

They weren't going to change their opinions anyways. At least with calling them out there's a chance they get shocked away from their bullshit

[–] HelloRoot@lemy.lol 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroplasticity

Learning and changing your opinions requires that you feel safe and not stressed or threatened.

Regardless of whether they would actually do it, your insults guarantee that they don't.

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 0 points 3 days ago

If there was a pandemic and someone was going around coughing on everyone else

This isn't like that at all, but I'm not going to argue about it. Have a great day. :)