The NYPD Joins Amazon's Ring Neighbors Surveillance Network (theverge.com) 26
The New York Police Department has joined Ring Neighbors, the neighborhood surveillance network built around Amazon's Ring security cameras. The Verge reports: The partnership, announced yesterday, means the NYPD will view people's posts on Neighbors and be able to post directly to it, including requests for public help on "active police matters." Neighbors is a Nextdoor-like extension of Ring's security camera business, allowing residents of a neighborhood to discuss crime and safety as well as post footage from their cameras. While many law enforcement departments have joined Neighbors in recent years, this marks its adoption by America's largest police force. (Police could separately request Ring footage for criminal investigations without the app.) It's part of an increasingly tight integration between Amazon and police -- one that's raised both concerns about privacy and questions about its crime-solving value.
Oversight (Score:2)
We must allow cameras in public accessible areas, BUT, why can't we make it so that it can be a felony to access to the video with decryption keys unavailable without a warrant, and only for the investigation of violence that is (attempted) murder, rape, or kidnapping. It should be illegal, with jail time, to access any video for investigation of non-violent crime. The video access protections must be certified and audited by a rotating independent body. So basically, if a corrupt DA wants to use it to trac
Re: Oversight (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
if the cops want other video they have to go through normal processes (warrant or court order.)
Not true. The cops need a warrant to compel a homeowner to give them the video, but they don't need a warrant to ask politely.
I have security cameras inside and outside my house. One of the outside cameras records passing cars. The police asked me for a recording to help them identify a burglar who broke into my neighbor's garage. They had no warrant. I was happy to oblige and sent them the recording.
Re: (Score:2)
My problem with that is if you keep doing that, cameras will get banned because too many people will be pissed off and paranoid. That is why I believe the footage should only be viewed for heinous crimes. Porch pirates can be caught by surveillance cameras of the people they stole from.
Re: (Score:2)
cameras will get banned because too many people will be pissed off and paranoid.
Private security cameras have been used in shops and homes for decades. They have always been used to solve crimes. That's their primary purpose. There is near zero objection to that.
the footage should only be viewed for heinous crimes. Porch pirates can be caught by surveillance cameras of the people they stole from.
It was a burglar, not a porch pirate. In most of America, it is legal to shoot and kill burglars. So filming them should also be ok.
Re: (Score:2)
Corrupt DA is one use... however you'll often find users/owners of the data rather willing to share it.
Last year a neighbor's daughter backed into a light pole and knocked it down, then drove off. I heard it happen, found the light pole in the street and called the city about the obstruction. While I waited for them to come, I pulled up the app for my camera system (not Ring) and saw it all happen on instant replay. When the city workers arrived I asked who wanted to see the footage, and they were thrilled.
All well and good until it's used against you (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
Well, right now only about 50% of murders get solved. I guess you are OK with that? How many people were killed by surveillance abuse?
Yeah I'm okay with that (Score:3)
You know most of those murders could be stopped by improving economics. A lot of them are women being killed by abusive husbands and boyfriends because they didn't have the financial wherewithal to get away when they needed to. Another big chunk is because of our politicized drug policy that exists not to reduce drug addiction but to make it harder for left wing candidates to vote and win elec
Re: (Score:2)
How is that even possible when only 20% of homicide victims are women? I guess you have zero knowledge of crime statistics. And, btw how come India has a lower homicide rate than the US, but they are poorer? Furthermore, women in India find it harder to escape from bad marriages. Divorce is rare there, and the male has the advantage. There are other examples of poor countries with low crime rates. Heck, there are poor counties in the USA with lower crime rates than wealthier ones.
Don't try to change the subject (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Do you think every rapist and murderer is broke? What about Epstein? What about BTK killer? What about Golden State Killer etc. Most killers are wealthy drug dealers, people with anger issues, or idiots like you who are jealous of others. Being broke isn't going to make someone go rape somebody else. Do you know what the demographics of rapists are? Anyway, I don't need you, an avoid traitor and communist fool who told me I couldn't own my business and that government should decide what people can and canno
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
You've never been pulled over by a cop because you where driving while black. You've never been in a store and had someone follow you around because they assumed you were shoplifting. You've never been ignored while shopping because you didn't fit in. You've never been mistaken for another person because "they all look alike". You've never had anyone make hostile comments about you in a public place t
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Or they would get arrested because they're wearing an expensive suit so they must be a criminal.
I wish I was kidding. But suits, cars, etc, if they're "too expensive" for a black man to own or drive, will get you into trouble in a lot of places.
Re: (Score:2)
People get ignored while shopping because they look like they don't have money to spend. I assure you, a black man in a Brooks Brothers suit and expensive jewelry would have shop clerks all over them!
Whatever [theguardian.com]
Re: (Score:2)
You're a smug white guy. It's an easy call, because that describes more then 95% of the people on Slashdot. You've never been pulled over by a cop because you where driving while black. You've never been in a store and had someone follow you around because they assumed you were shoplifting. You've never been ignored while shopping because you didn't fit in. You've never been mistaken for another person because "they all look alike". You've never had anyone make hostile comments about you in a public place that you were meant to hear.
On a site that populated by nerds and geeks, you unironically state that 95% of the people here have no idea what it's like to not be part of the "in group" and suffer as a result. Other than DWB, I've experienced all of the above in my life, and I daresay that the majority of people here have as well.
Go fuck yourself.
Re: (Score:2)
Really? I assumed this web site was multi-cultural, and the R vs D white Americans were a noisy minority. Geeks are geeks everywhere. I've been spat at on the street, called a terrorist, accused of stealing jobs, told to go back to my own country, and so on. I assumed at least some other people on Slashdot had. I don't think I've been on the receiving end of racial profiling by police, though. FW
Re: (Score:1)
Obey the law and you won't have so many problems with cops.
do a good deed for your community (Score:3)
What we need is for someone to sell spray paint in small cans, like pepper spray. Good citizens could then discreetly walk by and render the lenses of these things opaque.
That or sheets of those small, round labels.
Re: do a good deed for your community (Score:3)
This! It shall also serve to identify which homes are to be burglarized and vandalized. Bonus points if is your own home. Assuming you have a Ring device, of course. Do not forget to leave your front door open to make this process even easier - we do not want complex problems. And while they are there, serve them diner while chanting Fry them like bacon. It will be just like a summer of love.
Re: do a good deed for your community (Score:2)
Here's that rare citizen who walks the middle path and therefore doesn't need every movement and moment scrutinized and recorded for posterity.
Don't expect a medal.
Re: (Score:2)
What we need is for someone to sell spray paint in small cans, like pepper spray. Good citizens could then discreetly walk by and render the lenses of these things opaque.
That or sheets of those small, round labels.
They should start with speeding and red light cameras TBH.
Those are all directly for-profit and most are run by a 3rd party who gets a nice chunk of revenue for the privilege of filling the city coffers.
Party like it's 1984! (Score:2)
The surveillance state is slowly becoming a reality.
Well, I have nothing to hide so nothing to fear, right?
My political views haven't gotten me in trouble so far.
What's to worry about? (Score:1)
One of the biggest and most irresponsible corporate citizens in the world, owned by one of the world's richest psychopathic misanthropes, is in bed with more and more law enforcement agencies. What could possibly go wrong?
We will install cameras in every home (Score:2)
and make people pay for it themselves.