cross-posted from: rss.ponder.cat/post/215357

Flock, the automatic license plate reader (ALPR) company with a presence in thousands of communities across the U.S., has stopped agencies across the country from searching cameras inside Illinois, California, and Virginia, 404 Media has learned. The dramatic moves come after 404 Media revealed local police departments were repeatedly performing lookups around the country on behalf of ICE, a Texas officer searched cameras nationwide for a woman who self-administered an abortion, and lawmakers recently signed a new law in Virginia. Ordinarily Flock allows agencies to opt into a national lookup database, where agencies in one state can access data collected in another, as long as they also share their own data. This practice violates multiple state laws which bar the sharing of ALPR data out of state or it being accessed for immigration or healthcare purposes.

The changes also come after a wave of similar coverage in local and state-focused media outlets, with many replicating our reporting to learn more about what agencies are accessing Flock cameras in their communities and for what purpose. The Illinois Secretary of State is investigating whether Illinois police departments broke the law by sharing data with outside agencies for immigration or abortion related reasons. Some police departments have also shut down the data access after learning it was being used for immigration purposes.

“Some states, like California, do not allow any sharing across state borders. For those states, Flock has disabled National Lookup to make compliance easier,” Flock CEO Garrett Langley wrote in a public blog post on June 19.

In that blog post, titled “Setting the Record Straight: Statement on Flock Network Sharing, Use Cases, and Federal Cooperation,” Langley says he is writing to provide transparency on “recent clickbait-driven reporting and social media rumors that mischaracterize Flock’s LPR devices.” Rather than refuting any of our reporting, he instead explains that as a result of it, Flock has decided to perform numerous internal audits about how police are using the network that exactly aligns with 404 Media’s reporting, and that Flock has decided to make specific changes to how Flock works to ensure that local police are complying with state data sharing laws, which include disabling the national lookup tool in California.

That post followed another published by the company a few days earlier, which discussed an audit Flock conducted on what agencies were accessing data in Illinois. “Since we initiated the audit in May, 47 agencies have been removed from access to Illinois data,” that blog post reads.

Flock has also removed the national lookup feature for cameras in Virginia, according to an internal Flock message viewed by 404 Media. 404 Media granted the source who shared it anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to the press. On Tuesday a Flock spokesperson confirmed in an email to 404 Media that the changes to Virginia data access are complete.

In May, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a new law which will limit the use of such data to specific criminal investigations, human trafficking, stolen vehicles, and missing persons cases, the local TV outlet WAVY reported. The law comes into effect July 1, the report added.

Flock cameras work by continuously scanning the plates, model, and color of vehicles driving by. Law enforcement can then access data collected from their own cameras, but Flock also allows state and nationwide lookups. For a nationwide search, agencies are able to search other police departments’ cameras if they in turn make theirs available for search. But this can result in illegal data sharing if such access violates state law.

💡****Do you know anything else about Flock? We would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message Joseph securely on Signal at joseph.404 or send him an email at joseph@404media.co. Jason's Signal is jason.404****

404 Media reported in May that local police around the country were performing Flock lookups on behalf of ICE. That included lookups on cameras administered by the Danville, Illinois Police Department, triggering the audit there. 404 Media also reported cops in California are illegally sharing Flock data with agencies out of state, and searched cameras related to an “immigration protest.”

Flock says it conducted an internal audit of agencies that had access to Illinois data. If an agency was found to have affirmed compliance with Illinois law while also conducting multiple searches using reasons impermissible under state law, then Flock revoked their access to Illinois data. Flock also wrote that “All out of state agencies with access to Illinois data are being re-educated on Illinois-specific legal requirements and product functionality,” and that the company is placing new emphasis on “responsible sharing, with updated training content, in-product guidance, and communications to reinforce compliance.”

Flock also said it launched a new tool that blocks impermissible searches in real time. “If a search involving Illinois camera data includes terms that indicate an impermissible purpose under Illinois law, the Illinois data will automatically be excluded,” the company wrote.

Flock said it also has plans for an AI-based tool that will identify suspicious searches and allow agencies to require case numbers when their cameras are searched (as opposed to the vague reasons such as “immigration” in some of the data 404 Media obtained).

404 Media’s investigation into local police departments performing Flock lookups for ICE was based on a “Network Audit” obtained by researchers by public records requests. A Network Audit shows what agency searched another agency's Flock cameras, and for what stated purpose. The investigation into a Flock search performed for “had an abortion, search for female,” was based on Network Audits from other police departments obtained by 404 Media. The sheriff in that case said the family was worried for the woman’s safety and so authorities used Flock in an attempt to locate her.

Since publishing those articles and much of the related data, other outlets have dug into the information themselves. For example, Suncoast Searchlight used the data we published to find the Florida Highway Patrol tapped Flock cameras to aid immigration crackdowns; the Evanston Roundtable used it to find its police department shared access to its cameras with agencies that performed searches related to immigration; the Central Current reports officials in Syracuse, New York, are investigating their data sharing practices the outlet reviewed the data; and KUSA-TV Denver found Loveland Police Department’s Flock cameras were used for “ICE” searches.

And several cities have decided not to renew or expand their contracts with Flock. The City of Austin let its contract with Flock lapse, in part because of concerns around ICE access to the data. The City of San Marcos decided to not place additional cameras in the city. The San Marcos Police Department also changed their policy to require outside law enforcement agencies to file a request concerning a specific crime in order to receive Flock data, Spectrum News 1 reported.

The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said it blocked outside access to its cameras after learning the data was being searched by departments “focused on immigration-related violations,” local media reported.

“License plate readers can serve as an important tool for law enforcement, but these cameras must be regulated so they aren’t abused for surveillance, tracking the data of innocent people or criminalizing lawful behavior. No one seeking legal healthcare services in Illinois should face harassment or jail—period,” Secretary Giannoulias told 404 Media in a statement.

Flock declined to comment further on its changes to California data access.

---

From 404 Media via this RSS feed

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/06/25/microsoft-pivots-offers-free-windows-10-updates-after-end-of-life-deadline-with-a-strategic-catch-xcxwbn/

Lenovo Legion Go S gets better frame rates running Valve’s free operating system.

Games run faster on SteamOS than Windows 11, Ars testing finds

^{Kyle Orland (Ars Technica)}

caitlinjohnst.one/p/after-deny…




https://x.com/FranceskAlbs/status/1936913191369343452

80% of the country has been destroyed, 100% of the population displaced, 50% of the deaths children(, 0 solution has been seriously discussed), ... :

https://x.com/dn_osama_rabee/status/1933093727423095151
https://x.com/translatingpal/status/1936134624620540307
https://x.com/ryangrim/status/1936555053768171996
...

17% would only comparable to the second Congo war(, 1998-2003, 3-5M out of ~30M, mostly civilians from starvation or diseases), or the Korean war(, 1950-1953, 1.5-2M out of 9M, mostly from US bombings), otherwise, a.f.a.i.k., the only relatively recent recorded historical events with a higher percentage are genocides(, that have even reached an unbelievable 90% in two cases).

https://x.com/caitoz/status/1926467525488889926

Gotta keep 'em separated so the marketers and snoops can't come out and play

Psylo browser tries to obscure digital fingerprints by giving every tab its own IP address

: Gotta keep 'em separated so the marketers and snoops can't come out and play

^{Thomas Claburn (The Register)}

A bipartisan group of senators have reintroduced a bill requiring app stores to support sideloading and alternative payments systems.

US senators reintroduce bill to open Apple and Google's app stores

^{Ian Carlos Campbell (Engadget)}

"Great optics if you want to ignite a revolution," remarked one observer.

Medicaid Defenders in Wheelchairs Arrested Ahead of Senate Vote on 'Betrayal of a Bill'

^{brett-wilkins (Common Dreams)}

Link without the paywall

archive.ph/OgKUM

Meta wins AI copyright case in blow to authors

Court finds using online books to train artificial intelligence models without writers’ consent is ‘fair use’

^{Cristina Criddle (Financial Times)}

Rights advocates and Democratic officials are outraged by the Trump administration and Florida Republicans' plan to build "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Everglades to detain migrants.

'Alligator Alcatraz' Denounced as Epitome of GOP Dehumanization and Cruelty Toward Migrants

"There's no clearer illustration of the brutality of the Trump administration than robbing funds from cities supporting asylum-seekers to build...

^{jessica-corbett (Common Dreams)}

Microsoft has been hit with a lawsuit by a group of authors who claim the company used their books without permission to train its Megatron artificial intelligence model.

Case file: fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/…

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/microsoft-sued-by-authors-over-use-books-ai-training-2025-06-25/

Chinese and Hong Kong scientists succeed in animal trials, but potential problems include risk of devices being left in body and public suspicions

Archived version: archive.is/20250625171031/theg…

Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.

Swarms of tiny nose robots could clear infected sinuses, researchers say

^{Robert Booth (The Guardian)}

Simon Willison talks about ChatGPT’s new memory dossier feature. In his explanation, he illustrates how much the LLM—and the company—knows about its users. It’s a big quote, but I want you to read it all.

The family members of a U.S. citizen who was taken into custody by federal agents in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday are demanding answers as she was detained while on her way to work.

Andrea Velez, a Cal Poly Pomona grad working in merchandising at a shoe company, had just been dropped off by her mother and sister for the workday when they saw her being taken into custody, adding they had barely even driven a block before the arrest began.

"They didn't have vests that said ICE or anything," said Velez's sister Estrella Rosas. "Their cars didn't have license plates."

She says that her mother was driving away when she looked in her rearview mirror at what was described by police as immigration enforcement.

"In the rear mirror she saw my sister was kinda, like, attacked from the back and she was already on the floor," Rosas said.

Video shows a growing crowd of onlookers yelling as officers surround the 32-year-old woman. Her family members were too scared to get out, as Rosas' mother has residency but not full U.S. citizenship.

They're also worried that Velez may have been holding pepper spray, which they say she always carries in her hand when walking downtown, when agents approached her.

Witnesses told CBS News Los Angeles that no one asked for her identification, but her family believes that it was nothing she actually did that led to her arrest, but rather the way she looks.

"Just because of the color of our skin, they think we're criminals," Rosas said. "My sister was there, so they were like, 'Oh, she looks Hispanic, so let's take her too.'"

As of Tuesday night, they have still not been able to find out where Velez is being held and are worried it could be days before they finally do.

CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for information on Velez's arrest but has not yet heard back. An inquiry was also made asking how agents check a person's status when they first come into contact, and how they find the people they're targeting in enforcement operations.

Some of the video circulating online, showing Velez's arrest, also shows a group of Los Angeles police who appear to be aiding federal agents in the immigration operations.

Later Tuesday, officers told CBS News Los Angeles that they were called to the area after receiving a 911 call reporting a kidnapping at the location. When they arrived, they say that they saw that a federal immigration operation was underway and stayed to maintain peace because they were concerned by the growing crowd and the federal agents.

Family members outraged as U.S. citizen detained by federal agents in downtown LA on way to work

Andrea Velez, a Cal Poly Pomona grad, was taken into custody while being dropped off at work by family members

^{Laurie Perez (CBS Los Angeles)}

La Pro Loco Faenza organizza un ciclo di visite guidate serali nei “Martedì d’Estate”, alla scoperta di luoghi insoliti e storie affascinanti della città. Quattro appuntamenti curati da guide turistiche abilitate della Regione Emilia-Romagna, con inizio alle 20.45 e ritrovo presso la sede Pro Loco (Voltone Molinella).

Quota di partecipazione: 3 euro. Prenotazione obbligatoria, posti limitati. Consigliata la prenotazione dalla settimana precedente.

Programma:

1° luglio – “Farmacie d’arte”
Tour in tre farmacie storiche (Sansoni, Zanotti, Duomo), tra arredi antichi, architetture e arte. Percorso accessibile, tranne un primo piano non adatto a persone con mobilità ridotta.

8 luglio – “I 120 anni del Sarti”
Dalla sua nascita a teatro a cinema, un viaggio dietro le quinte e nelle trasformazioni del Teatro Sarti.

15 luglio – “Il Ridotto del Masini e la Galleria dei Cento Pacifici”
Un’immersione nell’eleganza neoclassica tra architetture, sculture e affreschi del Ridotto del Teatro Masini e della Galleria dei Cento Pacifici.

22 luglio – “Storie di uomini e paesi”
Passeggiata all’interno del Museo di Palazzo Laderchi per scoprire la Faenza tra XIX e XX secolo attraverso volti, memorie e trasformazioni della città.

Info e prenotazioni:
Pro Loco Iat Faenza – Voltone Molinella 2
📞 0546 25231 ✉️ info@prolocofaenza.it
🌐 www.prolocofaenza.it

Orari ufficio (maggio-settembre):
Lun–Sab: 9.30-12.30 / 15.30-18.30 | Dom e festivi: 9.30-12.30

Faenza (Ra): Visite guidate della Pro Loco per i "Martedì d'Estate" (1-8-15-22 luglio 2025) - ViaggieMiraggi

PRO LOCO FAENZA: “MARTEDÌ D’ESTATE – VISITE GUIDATE ALLA SCOPERTA DI FAENZA” Tra i retropalchi dei teatri e gli antichi arredi delle farmacie storiche, la Pro Loco Faenza in occasione dei “Martedì d’Estate”, organizza un ciclo di visite guidate seral…

^{Redazione (ViaggieMiraggi)}

from Common Dreams [reprinted from Pressenza]
David Andersson
Jun 25, 2025

"But the establishment’s machine was no match for the momentum behind Mamdani, who worked closely with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Their progressive political movement, deeply rooted in democratic socialism, has been steadily gaining ground—election after election, neighborhood by neighborhood—through tireless grassroots organizing, door-to-door campaigning, and small-dollar donations.

“This is a victory for every New Yorker who has been told they don’t have a voice,” Mamdani said in his victory speech. “It’s proof that organized people can beat organized money.”"

Zohran Mamdani Delivers Progressive Win Over Democratic Establishment

Tuesday's victory by the self-described 'proud democratic socialist' signals a seismic shift in the balance of power between entrenched political institutions and a new generation demanding progressive change.

^{david-andersson (Common Dreams)}

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/32265146

from Common Dreams [reprinted from Pressenza]
David Andersson
Jun 25, 2025

"But the establishment’s machine was no match for the momentum behind Mamdani, who worked closely with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Their progressive political movement, deeply rooted in democratic socialism, has been steadily gaining ground—election after election, neighborhood by neighborhood—through tireless grassroots organizing, door-to-door campaigning, and small-dollar donations.

“This is a victory for every New Yorker who has been told they don’t have a voice,” Mamdani said in his victory speech. “It’s proof that organized people can beat organized money.”"

Peter Link

2025-06-25 23:32:17

Zohran Mamdani Delivers Progressive Win Over Democratic Establishment | Common Dreams

from Common Dreams [reprinted from Pressenza]
David Andersson
Jun 25, 2025

"But the establishment’s machine was no match for the momentum behind Mamdani, who worked closely with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Their progressive political movement, deeply rooted in democratic socialism, has been steadily gaining ground—election after election, neighborhood by neighborhood—through tireless grassroots organizing, door-to-door campaigning, and small-dollar donations.

“This is a victory for every New Yorker who has been told they don’t have a voice,” Mamdani said in his victory speech. “It’s proof that organized people can beat organized money.”"

Zohran Mamdani Delivers Progressive Win Over Democratic Establishment

Tuesday's victory by the self-described 'proud democratic socialist' signals a seismic shift in the balance of power between entrenched political institutions and a new generation demanding progressive change.

^{david-andersson (Common Dreams)}

https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-student-lawsuit-michigan-school-pledge-allegiance-06c97427299652865b60313ed38ffcc2

Easy 1.5 mile Loop
300 ft elevation gain
Hiked May 23, 2025

An extremely popular hike due to its ease and location north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway, this hike puts you right on top of the falls where you may wander along the top of the canyon and see the various water chutes. A short loop uses part of the Mt Sarbach trail to get a higher view. Both parking and the people can be a mess here, so plan accordingly.

Where the river meets the canyon creating a short but turbocharged waterfall.

Mistaya canyon unfolds towards Mount Sarbach in the distance.

Mount Sarbach in the distance with Mistaya river and a forest extending downstream.

It started to become clear the previous April, when a man who had been pursuing me canceled a dinner at the last minute. There was a scheduling mix-up with his son’s game. I understood. I’m a hockey mom; I get it. Still, I went. I wore what I would have worn anyway. I took the table. I ordered well. And I watched the room.

Only two tables nearby seemed to hold actual dates. The rest were groups of women, or women alone, each one occupying her space with quiet confidence. No shrinking. No waiting. No apologizing.

That night marked something. Not a heartbreak, but an unveiling. A sense that what I’d been experiencing wasn’t just personal misalignment. It was something broader. Cultural. A slow vanishing of presence.

I’m 54. I’ve been dating since the mid-80s, been married, been a mother, gotten divorced, had many relationships long and short. I remember when part of heterosexual male culture involved showing up with a woman to signal something — status, success, desirability. Women were once signifiers of value, even to other men. It wasn’t always healthy, but it meant that men had to show up and put in some effort.

That dynamic has quietly collapsed. We have moved into an era where many men no longer seek women to impress other men or to connect across difference. They perform elsewhere. Alone. They’ve filtered us out.

I recently experienced a flicker of possibility. With James. We met on Raya, the dating app. There was something mutual from the start — wordplay, emotional precision, a tone that felt attuned. It was brief, but it caught light. I remember saying to him, “Even fleeting connections matter, when they’re mutual and lit from the inside.” I meant it.

There was just enough spark to wonder what might unfold. Enough curiosity to imagine a doorway. But he didn’t step through it. Not with a plan. Not with presence. He hovered — flirting, retreating, offering warmth but no direction.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/style/modern-love-men-where-have-you-gone-please-come-back.html?unlocked_article_code=1.RE8.XGxM.Vjn2tQ-ezAmR

Some excerpts:
A survivor of the Tuesday massacre at the GHF distribution point in Rafah told me that shortly after the appointed distribution time, Israeli soldiers were near the road to the site, “hunting people as if they were ducks”.

The aid seeker from southern Gaza told me he saw gangs of Palestinian thieves inside the point, apparently “working side by side with the GHF workers” to create a buffer between the pushing crowds and US staff.

The GHF workers, described as “seasoned crisis operators,” have troubling backgrounds. Phil Reilly, CEO of Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), which assists the GHF, was a senior vice president at a US company that committed a massacre in Iraq in 2007.

The foundation is also assisted by another company, publicly known as UG Solutions. During the January ceasefire, UG hired US mercenaries at daily rates starting at $1,100 to inspect vehicles at the Netzarim checkpoint.

I’m in northern Gaza. I would rather starve than take GHF aid

No amount of hunger would push me to seek aid wrapped in blood and humiliation.

^{Eman Hillis (Al Jazeera)}

Some excerpts:

A survivor of the Tuesday massacre at the GHF distribution point in Rafah told me that shortly after the appointed distribution time, Israeli soldiers were near the road to the site, “hunting people as if they were ducks”.

The aid seeker from southern Gaza told me he saw gangs of Palestinian thieves inside the point, apparently “working side by side with the GHF workers” to create a buffer between the pushing crowds and US staff.

The GHF workers, described as “seasoned crisis operators,” have troubling backgrounds. Phil Reilly, CEO of Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), which assists the GHF, was a senior vice president at a US company that committed a massacre in Iraq in 2007.

The foundation is also assisted by another company, publicly known as UG Solutions. During the January ceasefire, UG hired US mercenaries at daily rates starting at $1,100 to inspect vehicles at the Netzarim checkpoint.

I’m in northern Gaza. I would rather starve than take GHF aid

No amount of hunger would push me to seek aid wrapped in blood and humiliation.

^{Eman Hillis (Al Jazeera)}

Jake Johnson
Jun 25, 2025

"Affordability was a key focus of Mamdani's policy platform and messaging, with the Democratic state assemblymember calling for an immediate rent freeze for all of the city's rent-stabilized tenants, the creation of a network of city-owned grocery stores focused not on profits but on "keeping prices low," and free childcare.

Mamdani proposed funding those and other priorities with a higher tax rate on corporations and city residents earning more than $1 million per year—fueling the backlash his campaign faced from the ultra-wealthy."

Zohran Mamdani Delivers Stunning Blow to 'Billionaire-Backed Status Quo' in NYC

"The people of New York City proved that a movement powered by hope, courage, and working people can beat the money of billionaires," said one Mamdani supporter.

^{jake-johnson (Common Dreams)}

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/32262380

Jake Johnson
Jun 25, 2025

"Affordability was a key focus of Mamdani's policy platform and messaging, with the Democratic state assemblymember calling for an immediate rent freeze for all of the city's rent-stabilized tenants, the creation of a network of city-owned grocery stores focused not on profits but on "keeping prices low," and free childcare.

Mamdani proposed funding those and other priorities with a higher tax rate on corporations and city residents earning more than $1 million per year—fueling the backlash his campaign faced from the ultra-wealthy."

Peter Link

2025-06-25 21:55:08

Zohran Mamdani Delivers Stunning Blow to 'Billionaire-Backed Status Quo' in NYC | Common Dreams

Jake Johnson
Jun 25, 2025

"Affordability was a key focus of Mamdani's policy platform and messaging, with the Democratic state assemblymember calling for an immediate rent freeze for all of the city's rent-stabilized tenants, the creation of a network of city-owned grocery stores focused not on profits but on "keeping prices low," and free childcare.

Mamdani proposed funding those and other priorities with a higher tax rate on corporations and city residents earning more than $1 million per year—fueling the backlash his campaign faced from the ultra-wealthy."

Zohran Mamdani Delivers Stunning Blow to 'Billionaire-Backed Status Quo' in NYC

"The people of New York City proved that a movement powered by hope, courage, and working people can beat the money of billionaires," said one Mamdani supporter.

^{jake-johnson (Common Dreams)}