Flock-Powered Police Chiefs Stalking Women Shows Why Warrants Are Needed

Re:Flock-Powered Police Chiefs Stalking Women Shows Why Warr... by gigel82 on Monday June 22, 2026 @06:00PM (#48636852)

Can I set up my own camera on the side of the road (in a public place) to scan people's faces and license plates, link them up to one of the many data brokers (or leaks) and use a big display to show the drivers' pictures and something like "Hey Rick Larsen, it's the 24th time we've seen you this week. We'll let our clients know there's no one home at 2930 Wetmore Avenue, Everett most weekdays between 8 and 4!", and then place them somewhere like oh, I don't know, in close proximity to a capitol building?

We can pay the regular fees that advertisers pay to have billboards up.

And if we're not allowed to do that, why is Flock?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Flock-Powered Police Chiefs Stalking Women Shows Why Warr... by assimpleaspossi on Monday June 22, 2026 @07:28PM (#48637938)

No one has the right to privacy in a public setting. That's why street photographers can roam around and take photos of anyone and publish them. Whether you can publish personally identifiable information based on that, I don't know.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Flock-Powered Police Chiefs Stalking Women Shows Why Warr... by Manuel_D on Monday June 22, 2026 @06:23PM (#48637134)

Yes, you are allowed to set up a camera, as long as you own the land you're putting the camera on or you have permission from the landowner.

Again, I'm surprised by how many people don't realize that it's legal to film people in public.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Flock-Powered Police Chiefs Stalking Women Shows Why Warr... by etchalon on Monday June 22, 2026 @06:28PM (#48637208)

You can probably do that, so long as you're doing it on property you own.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Flock-Powered Police Chiefs Stalking Women Shows Why Warr... by ckrusk on Tuesday June 23, 2026 @09:32AM (#48644731)

first - yes, as others have noted, very easy to set this up and I encourage you to try! you could have a mini flock set up for your neighborhood or apartment in no time (not to mention ring cameras - look up the super bowl ad that went south quick).

second - five eyes (i think?) treaties allow tons of mass surveillance, the only rule is that you can't spy on your own country, but trading the data is above board

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Flock-Powered Police Chiefs Stalking Women Shows Why Warr... by xigoi on Tuesday June 23, 2026 @09:33AM (#48644746)

Since when is Flock publicizing private information obtained through data leaks?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Flock-Powered Police Chiefs Stalking Women Shows Why Warr... by gigel82 on Tuesday June 23, 2026 @11:30AM (#48646653)

Since forever, that's literally their business model. My (and your) private information was leaked (unconsensually), including timestamped location, travel companions, photographs from inside your vehicle, what you're wearing, etc. all leaked / stolen and then publicized to all kinds of people (criminals with badges, Palantir, the secretaries in the city council, etc.).

[ Parent | on HN ]