I 100% guarantee that "deactivated" cameras are still operational. It's just not the City getting the data.
Heard lots of precious metals in them, wink wink, nudge, nudge, and all that then LoL
Welp. It's too bad the shitty hotel I used to work at got shut down by the city.
We had TONS of meth heads that would be very appriciative of that information.
Really though, don't do the precious metals part, cuz that's what will get you caught. Carefully destroying them? Very doable, I strongly suspect.
The precious metals content realistically isn't interesting at all unfortunately. You could make a bit reselling the internal components (like probably not even 3 digits), but the value on the actual copper/etc is negligible. The solar panel is probably the most interesting piece, but the components are cheap as fuck.
They don't just collect video either. Audio, network traffic, Bluetooth devices, tons of electronic intelligence can still be gotten with covered cameras
Sounds like these cities need an adopt-a-Flock program to get these lonely civil rights violations into new forever homes
Fun fact the panel, inverter, and battery set up in these do not have any tracking features, that's all in the internals for the camera controller. It's enough to charge any smart phone or tablet if someone you know is living outside and should have a need of that. You do not need anything more than a Philips head screwdriver for most versions, and a security bit for others, both of which you can have for pennies at any hardware store.
Some flock stuff has microphones so avoid talking during the maintenance session 😜
If you cut the solar panel wire at night, no one will know when it happened.
Charge controllers detect open circuit connections, so it will very likely be in a log when suddenly the controller has an open circuit on the input terminals.
They also include SIM cards that come with a Flock-funded data plan.
Bring an all metal tool box to put the camera in it. Instant faraday cage.
Best to open it somewhere that is not frequented by you though, then you can remove the battery and other useful stuff for recycling.
Or just throw the whole thing in the nearest dumpster and let the garbage company take care of it.
the city was sharing Flock camera data for immigration enforcement
Ah, these are in American cities.
apparently on accident,
Oh yes, definitely American.
(Yes I know I skipped over the part about Ohio)
It's okay, we don't care about Ohio either
Makes them more easily identifiable so they can be properly disposed of.
I guess technically they already are in a trashbag.
One step away from being relocated to their actual destination: the bin.
honestly idk why they bothered covering them. just disconnect them... as long as they aren't damaged I doubt flock could seek anything on it.
likely safer if they ever get caught. it's not damaging property if there's simply a trash bag over it.
Do also the other thing, where you brake it apart. Same thing, but it's permanently.
I read the beginning of the title as "Cities are Cowering" and now I think it could easily be a part of an alternate title.
Like your the damn government... Just remove the devices, tell Flock where they can pick them up in the next two weeks otherwise they will be sold as is on open market and pay the termination fee or potential lawsuit. Cities get sued like all the time and I am confident even a moderately competent lawyer could find a cheap way out.
Or accelerate it apart
This is why you don't sign contracts without an obvious out.
I'd like to think that the bag is step 1. Step 2 is to balance an old car tire on top, and set it on fire.
I love the theatrics of it, but surely something less polluting can achieve the same results
Guillotines?
Why aren't they just... Removing them?
Oh. Its probably because removing them is unnecessarily complicated so they need the company to come do it for them.
You don't have to worry about a complicated removal if you have an angle grinder.
If you had read the article you'd know that the cities aren't sure if they can remove them under the terms of their contracts with flock. So they're covering them while working that out.
I'm pretty sure one city did remove them and then Flock just came and put new ones up which is what lead to the trash bags.
This is an better idea. I was going to shoot them with a paintball gun.
iirc, paintball marker is slightly translucent, right? So maybe like...a sticker?
Some of the cameras by me are a little high up, which is why initially I thought paintball.
I bet I could fly a drone with a trash bag over it though.
One of those spray-can extension poles would probably work pretty well.
Must have been a scary ghost that disabled those spy cameras.
Good. That’s where they belong.
Cool Hand Luke has a tutorial
Excellent reference.
I'm surprised Dayton is doing even that. It's a low bar, sure, but it's also Dayton.
Isn't this a problem that a can of spray paint can solve?
Use spray on flex seal instead, and go with the black one. It sticks better, and it can only be noticed by the lack of reflection from the lens. The police are unlikely to notice, because they rarely use flock by checking a specific camera (they typically just search the whole system for specific vehicles, from a map view), and if no one reports it it can go unfixed indefinitely
Be the change you want to see
Be the change you don't want them to see
I wonder how safe the poles are, compared to well tested road signs that are up. Those easily break off when hit. Will you end up with a solar panel through your windshield in an accident? I feel like one good lawsuit could make Flock have to replace every one of them if a lawyer can convince 12 people that they are a physical danger.
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
