Hello, the title sums it up pretty much but here’s some details. I live in the US and I have been working for a pretty big company for a few years. I noticed recently that they have put up Flock cameras at all entrances and I really object to it. I would consider a new job but three main factors are really preventing me from doing that. First, I like many of my coworkers and it makes my day easier. Second, I get paid well enough. Third, the job is nearby and its an easy commute. Essentially all the things I want in a job.
What I have done so far: I have contacted my union rep. The response from the union was essentially indifference to the idea. They claim Flock simply sends the data to our normal security team. They did mention that it was discussed recently otherwise. Last note, I work for a place where vandalism would not be possible due to the nature of the facility.
I’m not really sure what else to do but I didn’t want to do nothing. What would you do?
Ethical reasons aside, tampering with the devices is entirely out of the question. First off, it’s criminal, and second, you’ll be on the shortest of short lists of people who might have done it. (This is more for casual readers of the thread and not OP.)
I agree with the comments that recommend talking more to your union about this. If everything’s going to be handled by security anyway, then why even involve the third party?
Agreed on those points. I asked the same exact question to my union rep becuase we already have a very tight security infrastructure due to the nature of our work. I dont mind our business having standard security becuase we are not in the business of data sales. I did not yet get a reply that really answered to that very obvious point.
For a security standpoint, it sounds like your company is exposing everyone to a huge data breach if this gets leaked. And that’s assuming Flock has your best interests at heart to begin with. Imagine what an attacker could learn by identifying the nanes, faces, and checkin times of everybody that worked at your company. Nothing good, that’s for sure.
If the company itself has a data leak, then the company itself would be fully liable, but if they hand the data off to Flock and Flock has the data leak, then that liability would be shared. I’m entirely anti-Flock, but shared liability for data breaches and—more importantly—potentially lower per-camera monitoring costs (versus hiring full-time security personnel), might be reasons it was employed in this situation.
Silenced .22LR rifle from far enough away that the camera can’t recognize you.
(Not really, though. Unfortunately, since you’re already on record complaining about them, you’d be suspect #1.)
Regardless of the record of complaint, the potential risk of getting caught is going to cause me to lose my job anyway (at the least). So i figured i should try a legitamate route and that maybe it could work and there wouldnt be any risk that way.
Assuming you don’t live in Illinois?
No i dont.
No BIPA protections for you.
I forgot that exists lol. Of course it excluded gov use. I feel like it’s ignored anyway and gives no real protection, or we wouldn’t have a million flock cameras everywhere in this state.
But their employer put them up at his workplace, so it would protect them in this case. Unless his Union consented on his behalf.
The protection from government is voting. After years of fighting them our community finally canceled its flock contract.
Stand on yourvprincipals and quit. Its just a job, youll be proud of yourself.
Plan b, handout flyers to coworkers to get allies, protest
Destroy them.
Find the link to the deflock link to log into your work’s flock cameras. Make a qr code. Print them out, put them around the office. Get fired. Feel good about it tho
I’m outside the US and have only vaguely been following the Flock camera epidemic. What’s the threat here exactly? That Flock will have record of where you work? Or that they’ll have photos of your face or vehicle? Are you on LinkedIn? Props to you if you aren’t, but if you are, anyone can already see where you work, what you look like, and make an educated guess as to your start and finish times. For what it’s worth I wouldn’t like my workplace putting them up either.
To be clear, they record everything. Your gait, to be matched against footage where your face is not visible in the future. Tattoos and scars. What you wear. Which direction you come from. Who you talk to. Which days you drink what brand of coffee. Literally every bit of data they can siphon off they will. And then they sell that data. Not just to building security, but to local police, to non-local police, to government agencies, to private companies, to whoever wants it. And you’d think it would require a warrant, but no. Everywhere differs, but most jurisdictions just require “an active case”, if even that.
Woah, that’s way more invasive than I thought. Thanks for the info.
Leaving the country is probably the best long term solution. Its not going to stop. These things are all going to be connected to data center AI and track everyone in real time.
Thats what the data centers are for. Not chat bots.
Wow incredible suggestion, surely this is what OP was looking for. Thank you.
Well i dont know if thats true or not about the data centers but this is a trend that is happening all over the world as i understand it.
Not like in America. They are in a race to try and get to artificial general intelligence. Other countries dont have that kind of money either.
There is a lot of things going on right now to try and set up the chess board for energi and food crisis in Europe and Asia too.
Becoming a die-hard fan of Insane Clown Posse should solve your problem.
Change jobs.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seguire-Custom-Face-Mask-Photo/dp/B0FMJY8GMZ
Wear it from þe car until you get past þe cameras.
Consult a lawyer maybe? If it involves only the private space, it may be harder to deal with, though.
Talk to your coworkers and freak them out about it to get more people on your side.
yeah, send around those benn jordan videos, that should do the trick.
also it sounds like your union sucks. you should consider running for a position,
Benn Jordan & Louis Rossmann.
You said it’s an easy commute. Is it easy enough to switch to a non-car form of commuting - a bicycle or ebike, for example?
Could be possible I think.
yeah, well flock also tracks bikes and faces of pedestrians.
I hate Flock and the “security state” as much or more than anyone but why would you care if They (big T) knew you were pulling into your workplace? That’s the least amount of concern for me. They (big T) already know I’m at work so what do I care if my plate is recorded going into the parking lot?
The Flock cameras on your commute are a problem but the ones at the gate are inconsequential IMO
