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Comment by karmakaze | Hacker News Reader

The point is that there is no actual line. There's the premise which then collects the data.

Then the data can be used for other purposes--no line prevents this.

Weird. There's an article right here showing them turning off the cameras when the line was crossed and now that data can't be used the way they don't want.

So clearly we're allowed more nuanced takes than you think.

"There's an article right here showing them turning off the cameras when the line was crossed and now that data can't be used the way they don't want."

Not exactly true. This happened after the arrests and won't affect those arrests. This also doesn't prevent ICE from installing and using Flock cameras on federal properties (like the post offices). I would also bet that they could still comb the existing data if they wanted to, hence the shutdown of the cameras on the fear that they can't keep the data safe.

The Redmond City Council made a recommendation to turn off the cameras on Nov 3rd, two days before the ICE arrests. There had been local concern aired the week prior about feds/ICE possibly accessing Flock camera data. I think it was on its way to being shut down but the ICE activity perhaps hastened it.

https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2025/11/a-preliminary-v...

All of which further confirms that there is in fact a line.

Reactivity isn’t proactively protecting what you belief. It’s reacting to public outcry for the original premise.

Are you proposing everyone make the optimal decision in advance, when outcomes are all speculative, and just be sure to get it right so there’s no need to learn and adapt to circumstances?

I propose we stop letting government do things that are revenue based and pretend they are “in our best interests”.

I would hope so because no we are obviously not turning back the clock to a time when cameras did not exist. Most people kind of find surveillance cameras reassuring.

They're installing them in my mom's apartment complex after a vote.

Did they also vote on giving the federal government or any govermental authorities access to that footage? Did they ask if they want all the neighbors to be able to watch any of it? Did they ask if they would give it to cops to use against residents?

Because im willing to bet a lot of answers would change when they knew the answer to those questions.

Really depends who owns the footage. I’m installing cameras on my house but the NVR is local-only.

"They did the thing and the public got mad so clearly they won't do it again"

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