this post was submitted on 28 May 2026
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Regretful cities aren't sure how to cancel their surveillance contracts, so they are literally covering their cameras.

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[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 175 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I 100% guarantee that "deactivated" cameras are still operational. It's just not the City getting the data.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 33 points 2 days ago (3 children)

They don't just collect video either. Audio, network traffic, Bluetooth devices, tons of electronic intelligence can still be gotten with covered cameras

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

seems like they should use those metallic ballon type bags.

[–] M137@lemmy.today 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Don't think they'll do much against the audio, but that seems like it won't be much use by itself. Though that doesn't matter, it's the principle that matters, they shouldn't be allowed to record audio like that no matter how useless it is.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago

figured more for wireless stuff. I was under the impression mylar acted like a faraday cage. also I imagine the crinkled reflection would be that much more annoying for the camera. I bet it would crinkle a bit to distorting noise stuff.

[–] trackball_fetish@lemmy.wtf 3 points 1 day ago

The Bluetooth tracking is much more sinister than people know. The city I'm in has devices specifically for this placed strategically along with the alpr and cameras. Its fuckin' wild. Can't even leave without them tracking you.

[–] abigscaryhobo@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

I don't know how, but I bet there's an enterprising way to make a nice cheap battery powered Bluetooth scrambler that can be stuck right on one of those poles with a magnet and just absolutely ruin their signals.

[–] iThinkDifferentThanU@lemmy.world 74 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Heard lots of precious metals in them, wink wink, nudge, nudge, and all that then LoL

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago

Welp. It's too bad the shitty hotel I used to work at got shut down by the city.

We had TONS of meth heads that would be very appriciative of that information.

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Really though, don't do the precious metals part, cuz that's what will get you caught. Carefully destroying them? Very doable, I strongly suspect.

[–] BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The precious metals content realistically isn't interesting at all unfortunately. You could make a bit reselling the internal components (like probably not even 3 digits), but the value on the actual copper/etc is negligible. The solar panel is probably the most interesting piece, but the components are cheap as fuck.

[–] halferect@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Its to encourage meth heads who only need 20 bucks and are desperate enough to go to jail for a lil bit of copper

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

or take the whole pole its attached to.

I say take the company but that's cause theres tons of copper wire and plumbing in the walls

[–] Kowowow@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago

I would have bit of extra respect for a youtuber breaking down to get the precious metals out of specifically flok cameras

Sounds like these cities need an adopt-a-Flock program to get these lonely civil rights violations into new forever homes