The Morning Rant

Surveillance cameras are becoming very common in America, and have been ubiquitous in other parts of the world for many years. Private cameras are very different from government-controlled surveillance, and government demands for privately-acquired data usually go through the courts.

But governments are increasingly relying on their own cameras, and those cameras are often owned and controlled by Flock Safety, a private company that specializes in Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems. They are sophisticated cameras that send data to an equally sophisticated system that can not only read plates, but also identify unique characteristics on vehicles: bumper stickers, roof racks, trailer hitches, accident damage, etc.

And that data are collected and collated and can develop a comprehensive picture of vehicle movement over days or years. Did I say "can?" Of course they do. Assuming benign intent on the part of any corporation is naive, and assuming it when that corporation partners with government is laughable.

The passive accumulation of data on our movements is disturbing even if it were to occur on a single day. Yes, the Fourth Amendment speaks to "persons, houses, papers, and effects," and is of less utility in public. But this surveillance is permanent, long term accumulation of information that in the aggregate is nobody's business...least of all government!

This isn't a cop parked on the side of the road who happens to notice something. This is surveillance in the absence of probable cause, and that violates the spirit of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The government parses our rights to diminish their impact on its fanatical desire to know everything about us, but routine surveillance without a court order seems to be a clear violation of our right to be safe from government observation.

And it isn't just government that uses Flock....HOAs are big users of their systems for their deeply disturbing Big Brother activities. Of course HOAs are the Devil, so that isn't surprising, but the constant intrusion into our private lives is maddening.

But Americans seem to be a bit irritated by these cameras and the attendant gathering of information, and the response has been heartening.

Air Force Engineer Accused of Cutting Down 13 Police Cameras Says They're Unconstitutional
2 Flock cameras 'intentionally cut down' in South Carolina town amid nationwide camera controversy
Young People Are Destroying ‘Flock Safety Cameras’ In Viral Trend

Far be it for me to suggest anything illegal, but I sure hope some freedom-loving patriotic American is on the jury for that Air Force engineer.

If you are curious about the locations of the these cameras, here is a website that tracks them. deflock.org seems like it works pretty well...I checked one in my area this morning, and yup! it was where they said it would be. Luckily not in my little village, but near enough to irritate!

Like the arguments against the Second Amendment...banning guns will make us all safer! I don't care. Even if that were true (and I do not believe that it is), freedom and liberty are inherently chaotic, and we must tolerate some level of law breaking as a consequence of our freedom.

That tradeoff is absolutely part of the social compact among free men, and to argue against it is to reject the concept of natural, God-given rights.

[Hat Tip: dhmosquito]
[Crossposted at CutJibNewsletter and X/Twitter]. If you folks who are on X/Twitter would follow us it would be much appreciated!

posted by CBD at 11:00 AM

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