Cops Used Flock to Track a Man Across State Lines to Create Pretext to Search His Car for Weed

https://www.404media.co/cops-used-flock-to-track-a-man-across-state-lines-to-create-pretext-to-search-his-car-for-weed/

https://web.archive.org/web/20260805162847/https://www.404media.co/cops-used-flock-to-track-a-man-across-state-lines-to-create-pretext-to-search-his-car-for-weed/

60 points · 9 comments · view on lemmy.world

9 Comments

SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 12d (1 reply)

Welcome to the new reality. Even if we can get the fascists out of DC (we won't), microfascism will rule our lives.

Malyca@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 11d

It's been that way

ThePantser@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 12d (6 replies)

When you enter MI take your plate off. I see 20+ cars a day here without plates. Cops dont give a shit anymore. And without plates ALPR has a harder time proving its you. Wear a mask, and no bumper stickers either, just a stock car and you can claim its not you.

Orygin@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 12d

I don't think these cameras do that, but they can track your car from its tire pressure sensors. They permanently broadcast a serial number and the pressure, so you're trackable, and an attacker can even inject false readings, making you stop to check it.

schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 12d (4 replies)

I thought AI was picking out details about cars these days, making them identifiable even without plates.

I've also heard there is a film you can put over your plate to make it unreadable to AI but perfectly visible to the naked eye.

Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 12d (1 reply)

I kind of doubt that. While film can cover what's in the infrared spectrum, it still has to be transparent enough for the ordinary eye to see. Cameras can still see in the same vision spectrum as humans. It might work at night with IR lit cameras but it would still be seen plainly in the day. You'll just make your car stand out more.

schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 12d

Damn, I tried to be lazy but now I have to look it up.

https://www.carscoops.com/2025/12/florida-license-plate-law-sticker-ai-jail/

Edit: It doesn´t obscure the plate, but introduces subtle noise that human pattern recognition has no problem filtering out but confuses AI. It basically turns your plate into an invisible captcha.

ThePantser@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 12d (1 reply)

Has to be proven without reasonable doubt and a stock car without a plate is hard to ID.

piccolo@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 11d

Sir, this is america. People are guilty until proven otherwise.