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p_inglast Tuesday at 8:01 PM1 replyview on HN

> Second, no one is being stalked or harassed by a fixed camera.

Not the camera, no, just the eyes behind it -- namely police officers who have been caught stalking exes via Flock.

> Third, there are problems that only surveillance can reasonably solve (loud cars, dangerous speeding).

In many jurisdictions in the US, police must personally witness the events to intervene. /Traffic/ cameras are one thing -- they only record those who violate the laws (red light, speeding). But continual monitoring of all persons passing falls into another bucket, like a Stringray device would.

> The non-specific and general fear of abuse is not a good counterargument.

The abuse of this data is already happening. It's not a hypothetical.


Replies

Karrot_Kreamlast Tuesday at 8:11 PM

Here's an interesting hypothetical: if we don't trust law enforcement to operate these things, then consequently we don't trust law enforcement to enforce laws in a more physical manner (which is pretty true given 2020 protests against police brutality), then how do we enforce laws?

(This is a hypothetical because obviously in reality there's no easy philosophical through line from ideas to policy.)

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