Cities Panic over Having to Release Mass Surveillance Recordings

Summary

Yves here. BWAHAHA. There is so little good news on the mass surveillance that every win ought to be celebrated. And the precedent here is important if it holds. The cities affected by the setback to Flock using license plate reading as a pretext for pervasive visual data hauling seem not to be willing to bet on an appeal succeeding. Enjoy the schadenfreude of the rapid retreat. If we are really lucky, Flock will suffer irreparable financial damage. By Thomas Neuburger. Originally published at God’s Spies Image from Flock Safety, the product’s manufacturer This is a tale of Flock cameras, something you may never have heard about. Flock cameras are sold to the gullible and the complicit as simple “license plate readers.” Flock cameras are designed to watch cars. For safety, of course. Because crime. But they are much more. Spyware Supreme The theory is this: Flock Safety, a fast-growing startup that helps law enforcement find vehicles from fixed cameras, has released a slew of new features meant to make it easier for users to locate vehicles of interest. Overall, the moves push the company’s software in the direction of giving police the ability to search for vehicles using whatever cameras are at their disposal — a security camera at an ATM, a homeowner’s Ring doorbell, even a photo somebody took on their cellphone. The company’s new Advanced Search package — which costs between $2,500 and $5,000 a year, depending on how many of Flock Safety’s cameras the agency operates — includes a feature that allows users to upload a picture of a vehicle from any source and then perform a search to see if any of the company’s cameras have seen it. It doesn’t just search for license plates, either. The company has designed its software to recognize vehicle features such as paint color, type of vehicle and distinguishing features such as roof racks. The tell is in the name: Flock Safety. Because “keeping you safe” is the reason for every intrusion. As one police-oriented site puts...