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giantg2 • today at 11:59 AM • 5 replies • view on HN

Is this any different, legally, than sharing your Netflix login etc?

Because the data is purchased, most jurisdictions don't require a warrant. The only legal issue I can see currently is that Flock lost revenue from having another subscriber.


Replies

geraneum • today at 12:02 PM

What if sharing of Netflix passwords could lead to bodily harm or an “illegal” activity that wouldn’t hold up in court? Probably the one sharing Netflix password wouldn’t remain unscathed, legally speaking?

I am not a lawyer, just curious.

asimops • today at 12:10 PM

It is different, because the access is tied to your contract/job.

But even if it were legal, this only shows the core problem:

That data should not be available to anyone at all.

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anang • today at 12:40 PM

A lot of downvotes for this comment but I think it's an interesting question and shouldn't be downvoted.

It's easy to argue (as lot of people have in this thread) that there is a huge moral difference between sharing access to a streaming service and sharing access to a mass surveillance tool.

But was any criminal law broken? Is it just a violation of Flock's ToS and the biggest consequence is the police department losing access for violating the contract?

It's an important question, because if there isn't really any legal consequences for any of the parties involved then it's worth understanding that and, hopefully, addressing!

If we interpret OP's question in good faith, I don't think they are implying that it should be legal, just asking if it is.

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gambiting • today at 12:00 PM

If your work gives you access to an Anthropic account, can you give it to your spouse just because they also happen to be a programmer?

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iAMkenough • today at 1:58 PM

In this case, the customer utilizing the data without authorization also is known for killing Americans, and the data facilitates stalking their victims and their families.

We should be advocating for more accountability from the government and its representatives, not less.

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