Home improvement stores are finding ways to share data from their Flock license plate reader cameras with law enforcement, according to public records.
    • Regrettable_incident@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      2 days ago

      Cameras are cheaper than people.

      They did this here in the UK with CCTV cameras. Put the fucking things up everywhere, while cutting police funding. Result - the muggers, dealers, etc know where the blind spots are or wear masks. And if something happens and you need to call the police you are screwed for anything less than murder. And we are under constant surveillance.

    • favoredponcho@lemmy.zipEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      Probably because they somehow correlate your purchases with your plate and then use that to track your shopping habits.

    • hash@slrpnk.netEnglish
      37·
      4 days ago

      I think I saw somewhere that they put plates of repeat shoplifters in there for notification when they roll up. Surveillance state? Surveillance corporate states.

      • socialsecurity@piefed.socialEnglish
        16·
        4 days ago

        Fair enough but then they sell it too… Everything is going to be this way going forward. People need to start taking privacy more seriously.

        Most of them will walk into these retial locations with wifi and BT on

    • FlexibleToast@lemmy.worldEnglish
      15·
      4 days ago

      Theft. A long time ago I worked asset protection at Walmart. A lot of times people would get caught only after they got away with it several times. We would find out from a greeter that someone ran out with something. We would check the video, get screenshot, send out alerts to the other Walmarts… The camera footage is pretty important for catching those repeat offenders. Eventually they would finally be recognized while in the store instead of after the fact because of the alerts. I could see AI being an extremely value resource from that perspective while also being extremely dystopic from every other perspective. Such as Madison Square Garden using it to deny entry to people the AI flagged because they’re a lawyer in a case against the owner.

    • surewhynotlem@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      4 days ago

      Once your on private property, like their parking lot, is it legal to hide your plates? I’m thinking yes. And I’m thinking some quick 3d prints and motors could make this work.

      • roofuskit@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        3 days ago

        In many states such devices are illegal, so if you get caught with it on the road that’s probably a hefty ticket and maybe an arrest because they will assume it was meant for use in a crime.

          • roofuskit@lemmy.worldEnglish
            6·
            3 days ago

            Technically in public there is no presumption of privacy. What we need to do is end the third party loophole that allows the government to buy data on citizens without a warrant. And some additional legislation preventing companies from tracking anyone using any data without their permission.

  • sudoer777@lemmy.mlEnglish
    4·
    2 days ago

    If you have an ebike, is it legal to put a fake license plate to add noise to the readers?

  • Zulu@lemmy.worldEnglish
    31·
    4 days ago

    Deflock.me

    When i saw there was no way to get into the lowes parking lot near me without passing one, i stopped going to lowes.

  • grue@lemmy.worldEnglish
    191·
    4 days ago

    That’s fine, just shop at the competitor that doesn’t do that.

    …oh wait.

    spoiler

    Shut up Menards people, your store isn’t in most of the country. And I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it’s doing it too.

    • Sprinks@lemmy.worldEnglish
      9·
      4 days ago

      Menards is in my area and it’s fucking terrible. Their “20% off” is a mail in rebate for store credit, only and it’s a perpetual “sale”. It never actually has an end date like their ads claim. From shopping there just about every menards exclusive brand item ive purchased was over priced and broken in less than a year. I also know a handful of people that went from die hard menards fans to “never shopping there again” over the last few years because their prices on nearly everything have gotten ridiculous compared to literally any other store, online or brick. Their website is a pain to navigate, too and tries really hard to make you think the 20% off price is the final price on items.

  • LaLuzDelSol@lemmy.worldEnglish
    61·
    3 days ago

    Honestly I dont think this is going to be too effective without a corresponding crackdown on fake license plates. Shoplifting from home improvement stores is a big problem but the people I’ve seen walking out with thousands of dollars of tools in broad daylight just had an obviously fake paper tag.

    • blarghly@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      3 days ago

      If the ai has facial recognition software, they can just wait til the next time that person comes in. AI flags the person, flag is picked up by somebody in Bangladesh who confirms it is the same person, cops are called and nab the guy as he is walking out of the store. Video evidence is then provided to the prosecution.