28 votes

Did your car witness a crime? Bay Area police may be coming for your Tesla — and they might tow it.

5 comments

  1. [4]
    zoroa
    Link
    I thought this article was worth sharing, since I was once again surprised by new (to me) avenue law enforcement leverages personal products purchased by the public to surveil and/or further their...

    In Oakland and beyond, police called to crime scenes are increasingly looking for more than shell casings and fingerprints. They’re scanning for Teslas parked nearby, hoping their unique outward-facing cameras captured key evidence. And, the Chronicle has found, they’re even resorting to obtaining warrants to tow the cars to ensure they don’t lose the video.

    I thought this article was worth sharing, since I was once again surprised by new (to me) avenue law enforcement leverages personal products purchased by the public to surveil and/or further their investigations.

    One detail I found interesting was that this felt like a rare instance where the product owner is made aware of law enforcement's attempts at the data a priori (either from being asked for consent, or their vehicle being towed after a warrant is granted).

    My myopic understanding is that law enforcement often have other avenues that don't require asking an individual for their data:

    17 votes
    1. [3]
      vord
      Link Parent
      All Ring has to do is bury in their terms of service that users automatically agree to share all footage with law enforcement, unless they opt out by sending snail mail to a P.O. Box that gets...

      All Ring has to do is bury in their terms of service that users automatically agree to share all footage with law enforcement, unless they opt out by sending snail mail to a P.O. Box that gets processed 2x a decade.

      9 votes
      1. [2]
        SirNut
        Link Parent
        Is that an actual thing? Opting out?

        Is that an actual thing? Opting out?

        2 votes
        1. vord
          Link Parent
          Only if you don't accidentally opt back in on every notification 30 times an hour. Oh:

          Only if you don't accidentally opt back in on every notification 30 times an hour.

          Oh:

          Opt-out only good for local agencies. Federal agencies are unaccountable and do what they want, and we oblige...its much more profitable that way.

          3 votes