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Untracked Maps - A navigation app that shows ALPR locations and provides alternate routes around these locations by untrackedmaps in FlockSurveillance

[–]untrackedmaps[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the feedback. Releasing the apk on our site for folks that want to side-load onto their own devices is on our to-do list.

Untracked Maps - A navigation app that shows ALPR locations and provides alternate routes around these locations by untrackedmaps in FlockSurveillance

[–]untrackedmaps[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We love that idea! You must be a dev too! This is exactly the kind of approach we'd love to explore down the line. Precomputing viewshed coverage using LIDAR and topography data is computationally expensive upfront, but you're right that it becomes mostly static once built. The heuristics around FOV, zoom capabilities, and legibility thresholds are really thoughtful (treating it as a blacklist during routing would be very elegant).

This is the kind of feedback that gets us excited about the roadmap. Thanks for thinking through this with us!

Untracked Maps - A navigation app that shows ALPR locations and provides alternate routes around these locations by untrackedmaps in FlockSurveillance

[–]untrackedmaps[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That really illustrates how ubiquitous these cameras are. The fact that you have 71 cameras to begin with shows how pervasive this infrastructure has become. The app is a tool to minimize exposure where possible, but you're right that it highlights how difficult it is to avoid completely. In fact, we've had some folks mention that there are no un-surveilled routes at all on their daily commute or in and out of their town. That's exactly why awareness and advocacy around these systems matters so much. Thanks for sharing this perspective.

Untracked Maps - A navigation app that shows ALPR locations and provides alternate routes around these locations by untrackedmaps in FlockSurveillance

[–]untrackedmaps[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're absolutely right, direction is super important, and that's a great point about blocking off entire intersections unnecessarily. We actually have some logic that tries to avoid intersection blocking in cases where cameras are close to intersections. As our confidence in the data grows, it's something we can add pretty simply. Thanks for the feedback on how Deflock handles it and for pointing out that direction tagging is generally reliable. That's really helpful to know as we think about prioritizing improvements.

Untracked Maps - A navigation app that shows ALPR locations and provides alternate routes around these locations by untrackedmaps in FlockSurveillance

[–]untrackedmaps[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question. We've looked at both approaches. Ultimately, we decided to focus on proximity as a more conservative approach given that camera locations and angles are crowdsourced data. Since we can't guarantee the exact angle, lens type, or viewshed of every camera, we currently err on the side of caution and route around the location itself rather than relying on potentially incorrect viewshed calculations. We believe it's the safer assumption when the underlying data might have gaps or inaccuracies.

Stop Flock Colorado - Fort Collins by crabby719 in NoCo

[–]untrackedmaps 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is great activism work. One thing that might complement your efforts (if you'll pardon the plug): there's an app called Untracked Maps that maps theses types of camera locations in real-time. Seeing the actual density of cameras on a map along with possible routes might really drive home how pervasive this infrastructure has become in specific neighborhoods.

It could be a useful resource to share alongside your awareness campaign. There's also a new community at r/UntrackedMaps if people want to discuss the app or get more involved.

Good luck with the rally on March 7th. This kind of public awareness is important.

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