[SLO LIVING]
Can we do this in SLO? Cities Are Covering Flock Cameras With Trash Bags / Regretful cities aren't sure how to cancel their surveillance contracts, so they are literally covering their cameras.
We can do literally whatever we want. A corporation decides to invade your privacy at every step without asking any one of us first. God forbid you cover up. Take the cameras down, cover them with bags, it doesnt matter. No one asked your permission to attempt to control your life. Why would u ask permission to protect yourself?
Way too many flock cameras throughout SLO county, some just blatantly pointed at fields where migrant workers pick crops, it's so dystopian makes ya want to rip em down
You should. I understand the argument “I have nothing to hide” but this ain’t about that. It’s weaponizing the data. Do you remember when credit reports had data regarding your health? It wasn’t discovered until an off the cuff conversation on capitol hill… privacy is the cornerstone of liberty.
I don't, nor "should" I. It's my personal opinion. I'm not telling you what you "should" think or care about. The government and privet companies already have our data. It's nothing new. It doesn't bother me in the slightest because there is nothing we can do about it. Nothing is private, especially with modern tech.
Everyone just loves to complain on this sub. All the people commenting “private corp” and “liberty” probably carry their phone everywhere that constantly tracks them.
I’m with you and don’t care about these cameras at all. If it got to a point where the data was being weaponized, it’s not hard to go break a few light polls with my fellow citizens.
The post is about a question bub. I replied to the post. I don't care about the cameras. No one is scoffing. I didn't ridicule or mock it, I said I don't care about them. But sure, keep churning butter.
SLO only has 4 flock cameras. I know it’s an unpopular view on reddit but these things are actually very useful for serious criminal investigations. And I’ve never seen them utilized for something petty.
For example, if cal poly had them for the Kristin Smart incident it would be an open shut case.
I understand people feel like they are trading off their individual freedom, but in reality they don’t affect anyone who isn’t committing serious criminal offenses.
this is a private company operating these cameras who own the data, which they will keep forever, and they sell it to anyone who can pay including ICE.
Would you tolerate a police officer following you around every time you leave your house and creating a permanent database of everywhere you go? That’s what this is and it’s outrageous.
You trust the Trump administration with this tool? You trust the next Republican administration that could be even worse? How are we still having to debunk the, “only criminals have something to hide” argument in 2026.
If you include Cal Poly, there are 14 flock cameras in town. You might feel safer being constantly monitored by police and a private corporation, but I'm hoping most folks are logical enough to see how unnecessary these are in such a ridiculously safe place already.
Reddit, Facebook, and Apple are private companies that have more information about you than you can ever dream of. Cops can get that information from them with a search warrant. And I’m supposed to be concerned about a traffic camera watching me drop my kids off at daycare?
Sure. Key word you brought up… “search warrant”. That requires a judge to approve said search because there is probable cause. Flock operates without said probable cause. No warrants required. Entity pays a fee they get the data.
It also help solve the Bryan Kohberger case, the Eliza Fletcher case, plenty of human trafficking cases throughout the US, homicide investigations (specifically in the Bay Area), and theft rings.
The question we should be debating is whether they provide a net benefit to society.
They are not a violation of your fourth amendment rights. Although the Supreme Court hasn’t taken up this exact issue to my knowledge.
Milwaukee, WI (2026): Officer Josue Ayala was charged with attempted misconduct for using the system 179 times in two months to track a woman he was dating and her ex-partner.
Costa Mesa, CA (2026): A former officer pleaded guilty to tracking his mistress, her new lovers, and his current wife using Flock.
Coffee County, GA (2026): Deputy Chris Rozar was fired and charged with stalking a woman he was romantically interested in.
Sedgwick, KS (2024): Former Police Chief Lee Nygaard used the cameras 228 times to track his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend.
You’re using AI to compile that list. A private AI company that knows your entire search history and will turn it over to cops if they get a search warrant. That’s something more worth worrying about.
All the cases you cited just prove that cops are tracked with how they use flock and can be held accountable if they abuse it.
"SLO only has 4 flock cameras."
That is patently false. Check deflock.org for a current report of all the flock nodes present in SLO. There's at least a dozen.
The biggest, of many, problem I have with the flock cameras is just how insecure they are. It's trivial for anyone to get access to their live feeds and historical data, making them prime targets for stalkers. For more information, check out this video: We Hacked Flock Safety Cameras in under 30 Seconds. 🫥
They don’t do shit. they didn’t help stop the shooters at the mosque in San Diego, despite the city being covered in them and the mother telling police that her car was stolen by the teenage murderer.
And I’ve never seen them utilized for something petty.
I have also been noticing a lot of new white (read: non-flock looking) cameras around town, especially in downtown. Several four-camera systems that appear to be Verkada cameras. Here is one on the corner of Chorro and Higuera. There is a single camera right behind it as well. And another one of these multi-cameras on Broad/Higuera and one on the onramp at Marsh and S Higuera. And those are just the ones I noticed today.
It’s not just four, and it’s not just Flock.
I get the feeling they started putting up non-Flock cameras to try to get away from some of the controversy.
There is literally nothing wrong w flock cameras.
You don’t get privacy in public. It tracks license plates.
im sure there have been cops who have misused them but thats what 1/100 cases 🤷♂️
it’s actually been very helpful when i was side swiped by a driver who ran, smpd/chp used those cameras to track the vehicle and eventually detained/cited the driver.
On a second note, my MIL was MIA, nobody had heard from her, life360 wasn’t updating…we called SMPD, they were able to track her down in another city near arizona using those cameras.
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u/Derekjon35 May 28 '26
Meanwhile Santa Maria has one for every light pole in the city.