All posts tagged: flock

Flock is just the latest example of using surveillance to stalk women

Flock is just the latest example of using surveillance to stalk women

Published by Sam Flores

This story was originally reported by Jasmine Mithani of The 19th. Meet Jasmine and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy. Flock Safety claims over 5,000 law enforcement agencies use its license plate readers to help locate missing persons, catch thieves and identify suspicious vehicles. The company is most known for its camera network, which extracts data about cars from photographs and allows operators to search for vehicles by description or license plate number. But there’s been another persistent, unsanctioned use: officers stalking women. At least 50 law enforcement officers have been accused or charged with the misuse of Flock or similar tools, and over half of the incidents involve surveillance related to romantic partners, per a recent investigation by The Washington Post. The reports include officers of all genders, but many cases involve a uniformed man stalking a civilian woman — or the people close to her. Forty-six of the cases tallied by The Post involved Flock equipment. Flock is under fire as stories roll out about how its surveillance network …

The Flock uprising is just the beginning

The Flock uprising is just the beginning

Published by Sam Flores

In era when so much about the news is just plain depressing, what stands out about the burgeoning public rebellion against Flock security cameras is just how fun it all is. The artificial intelligence-powered surveillance cameras, which are sold by Flock Safety as mere “license plate readers” to local governments, have spurred a national cat-and-mouse game between vandals and cops that is being merrily followed on social media, mostly by people rooting for the vandals. City council meetings in which citizens swarm to protest paying for the cameras are the new must-see TV.  In Huntington, West Virginia, a small city in the heart of Appalachia, one man became an internet folk hero when he stood up at a city council meeting and said, “I’m not gonna waste your time; I’m kinda hungry. But one last thing: Every single Flock camera has about 2-3 pounds of copper and about 1-2 grams of gold. Do with that information what you will.” He then walked off in triumph. By targeting Flock cameras, activists are building momentum for a larger …

Do Birds of a Feather Prefer to Flock Together?

Do Birds of a Feather Prefer to Flock Together?

Published by Jenni Sidey

I’ll admit it. I was a nerd in elementary school. I don’t mean that I was smarter than the other kids. I mean that my primary social crowd was “the nerds.” And—no—peer crowd labels like “the nerds,” “the jocks,” and “the populars” aren’t made-up constructs reserved for catty teen movies. Although labels and categories can change through generations (Crabbe and colleagues, 2021), peer crowds exist. They are especially prominent in adolescence and can negatively influence teens in lower-status social crowds. For example, Helms and colleagues (2014) found that although teens in higher-status social crowds (populars and jocks) did not significantly differ in most risky behaviors compared with those in lower-status social crowds (brains and burnouts), teens who assumed high-status peers engaged in substance use showed steeper increases in their own substance use from grades nine to eleven. Even adults are identified by specific attributes that are associated with different levels of status. Adults looking for romantic partners tend to prioritize physical attractiveness or earning potential. They want these ideals to be present in their future …

As Jerusalem holy sites reopen, Jews, Muslims and Christians flock to pray

As Jerusalem holy sites reopen, Jews, Muslims and Christians flock to pray

Published by Sam Flores

JERUSALEM (RNS) — Thousands of Jews, Muslims and Christians flocked to the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday (April 9) to pray at the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the day after a two-week ceasefire was announced in the war between the United States, Israel and Iran. On Feb. 28, Israeli authorities closed all three holy sites to everyone but the clergy who work there, out of fears that Iranian missiles or a siren-triggered stampede could harm large numbers of worshippers. Some Muslim and Christian leaders had demanded that Al-Aqsa and the Holy Sepulchre be open to the public, despite there being no bomb shelters in the immediate vicinity. But on Thursday, for the first time in 40 days, Old City merchants opened their shops in the hopes of making a few sales, while local people and some tourists appeared more interested in reaching the holy sites than buying jewelry or souvenirs — which included hats with images of President Donald Trump and the words “Make Israel Great Again.” …