Government Spy Hubs Are Tracking Anti-Flock Activists and Warning Cops About DeFlock Events
The Government Is Monitoring Anti-Flock TikTok and Instagram Accounts
Newly obtained intelligence bulletins from fusion centers across the U.S. show law enforcement monitoring viral anti-Flock social media posts and warning local police about upcoming DeFlock protests, including a 'National Week of Action' scheduled for August 16-22. The documents, obtained via public records requests, tell cops to increase patrols around ALPR cameras and flag devices that could locate them. They also tie political opposition to Flock surveillance with vandalism, even though DeFlock's founder says the group never endorsed destruction. The bulletins highlight specific Instagram accounts and a former Flock employee's instructional video, and list cities where protests are planned.
DeFlock has never called for disabling cameras or covering license plates, contrary to what recent law enforcement bulletins claim.
- Cider9986
I don't see anything so wrong with cutting them down. I see it similar to maintaining a local trail. Removing obstacles like fallen trees or brambles. These are pests that are unconstitutional.
It seems like a statement to the prosperity of the American ideals of freedom that they are being removed both by local activism and illegal means. Along with the general sentiment on social media. It's genuinely insane the power social media has on earth. It's attributed to the revolution in Nepal, major protests in India, and there were a bunch more in other countries[1].
We as humans have been brainwashed with the nothing to hide fallacy. It's good to see it dismantled once we see mass surveillance in practice.
[1] Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Morocco, Madagascar, Peru, and Bulgaria from a Brave overview (can't say I researched any of these).
Prompt: other countries that had uprisings like the Nepal 2025 one
- altairprime
One of the oddities in reporting about Flock is that no one’s considered who the silent customers are. Even Techdirt is focusing on municipal abuses and greed, calling out Flock for reactivating cameras for its own sake. But the real question should be: is Flock reactivating municipal cameras on behalf of non-municipal customers? So, when we find out here that the most likely non-municipal customer is also monitoring social media about Flock, it intensifies my suspicion that Flock exists as a liability shield for warrantless surveillance for the government — and that municipalities are just a front.
- blakeashleyjr
A plague on our land. Hopefully the recent Chatrie v. United States decision gives courts the ammo they need to shut these down.
There is a big difference in a cop seeing you go by, checking a list, and coming after you than scanning every license plate, bumper sticker, etc. and putting in a database for every cop in the country.
- driverdan
What's going on with HN hiding this post? 84 votes in 4 hours and it's on page 3 while there are posts on page 1 that are older and have fewer votes.
- spl757
Dollars to donuts it isn't just tiktok and instragram. If it's on the internet and not end-to-end encrypted with the proper ciphers it's being monitored. Shit, the police and feds keep things they can't decipher hoping they can in the future.
My rule of thumb is that if it's technically possible, someone, somewhere is doing it.