Flock automated license plate-reading cameras are rapidly popping up all over the US. In some areas, they’re also going down pretty quick, too.
What happened
Flock automated license plate-reading cameras are rapidly popping up all over the US. In some areas, they’re also going down pretty quick, too.
Where the sources line up
Widespread opposition to Flock surveillance cameras has highlighted their inaccuracies and potential for abuse by authorities. A movement to “deflock” cities includes everything from canceling municipal contracts to covering cameras with trash bags and various forms of physical vandalism .
Practical impact for readers
Now, if you’re cruising through the fictional town of Los Santos (modeled after Los Angeles) in a new Grand Theft Auto 5 “mod,” you could be tracked by any of the 235 Flock cameras there. But you can also cash in $600 for each one you shoot down.
Who should pay attention now
The mod (a custom addition to the game) is called Grand Theft Automated License Plate Reader . Morry Kolman, the mod’s creator, said the in-game Flock cameras are based on “custom-built” 3D models, which subject players to “ seemingly inescapable surveillance .
What is still unclear
Almost like living amid Big Brother, these virtual cameras take pictures of you and track your movements. If you commit crimes in the game — like speeding or hitting pedestrians — the cameras will report you to the police. They’ll even occasionally file “false reports” on you, just like the real cameras sometimes do. Players can also save the images captured by the cameras for use in social media posts or as wallpapers.
Latest comments
0No comments yet. You can start the conversation.