matt meshm
@meshm.bsky.social
Minneapolis-based tinkerer. Work on websites for science at UMN's Supercomputing Institute. Into bikes, city infrastructure, and local politics
Oof, hang in there. Hope you recover quick 🙏
November 26, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Oof, hang in there. Hope you recover quick 🙏
"No warning" is a function of the separation ordinance, the feds know not to give a heads up. We need to strengthen it so local police are clear who they're supposed to be protecting
November 25, 2025 at 10:53 PM
"No warning" is a function of the separation ordinance, the feds know not to give a heads up. We need to strengthen it so local police are clear who they're supposed to be protecting
I should've said accurate for properly disclosed cams installed by law enforcement on public roads. Flock cameras on private property like parking lots are totally unregulated so still keep an eye out!
November 24, 2025 at 7:50 PM
I should've said accurate for properly disclosed cams installed by law enforcement on public roads. Flock cameras on private property like parking lots are totally unregulated so still keep an eye out!
Ugh these people. Sure I like to make a driver feel bad if I see them doing something unsafe but if you're seeking out people to scold after they've been held accountable and admitted fault? 🙄🙄
November 24, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Ugh these people. Sure I like to make a driver feel bad if I see them doing something unsafe but if you're seeking out people to scold after they've been held accountable and admitted fault? 🙄🙄
It has a nice "profile" feature so I set up the metadata for MPD and HC in advance, which makes entering them really quick. Also a good UI for multiple camera directions on the same node
November 24, 2025 at 5:32 PM
It has a nice "profile" feature so I set up the metadata for MPD and HC in advance, which makes entering them really quick. Also a good UI for multiple camera directions on the same node
This is what MPD's permanent ALPRs look like (Insight LPR). If it's a dome camera it's something else
November 24, 2025 at 5:29 PM
This is what MPD's permanent ALPRs look like (Insight LPR). If it's a dome camera it's something else
deflock.me has a decent mobile app that I've been using for the most part. My first foray into OSM editing!
DeFlock
Spot, map, and resist automated license plate readers (ALPRs) near you.
deflock.me
November 24, 2025 at 5:21 PM
deflock.me has a decent mobile app that I've been using for the most part. My first foray into OSM editing!
If it's those wheeled units with the tower those are normal surveillance cameras but not ALPRs (at least the ones I've seen). Would love to confirm though if you can get a pic of the camera heads
November 24, 2025 at 5:19 PM
If it's those wheeled units with the tower those are normal surveillance cameras but not ALPRs (at least the ones I've seen). Would love to confirm though if you can get a pic of the camera heads
If it's in a parking lot or otherwise on private property those are not managed by law enforcement and are basically unregulated as far as I can tell. That's why we still need this crowd sourced map even with MN's ALPR laws
November 24, 2025 at 5:15 PM
If it's in a parking lot or otherwise on private property those are not managed by law enforcement and are basically unregulated as far as I can tell. That's why we still need this crowd sourced map even with MN's ALPR laws
@goaskaless.bsky.social if you share a pic I can try to help ID it. There are lots of kinds of traffic cameras out there and one of my concerns with ALPRs is they undermine trust in more responsible uses of public cameras.
November 24, 2025 at 4:34 PM
@goaskaless.bsky.social if you share a pic I can try to help ID it. There are lots of kinds of traffic cameras out there and one of my concerns with ALPRs is they undermine trust in more responsible uses of public cameras.
Those are actually different, it's an automated enforcement pilot with 5 cameras, including one at 46th and Nicollet: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/p...
These seem much more deliberate and equitably located, and they cannot use them for dragnet surveillance so I am personally all for them
These seem much more deliberate and equitably located, and they cannot use them for dragnet surveillance so I am personally all for them
Traffic safety camera pilot
We explain how and why we are using traffic cameras to enforce speed limits.
www.minneapolismn.gov
November 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Those are actually different, it's an automated enforcement pilot with 5 cameras, including one at 46th and Nicollet: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/p...
These seem much more deliberate and equitably located, and they cannot use them for dragnet surveillance so I am personally all for them
These seem much more deliberate and equitably located, and they cannot use them for dragnet surveillance so I am personally all for them
This is the public location list managed by the state: dps.mn.gov/divisions/bc...
It should be mostly accurate for Flock and similar cameras on public roadways but lots of these have not yet been verified and added to DeFlock
It should be mostly accurate for Flock and similar cameras on public roadways but lots of these have not yet been verified and added to DeFlock
Agencies that use License Plate Readers (LPR) | Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Information provided by Minnesota law enforcement agencies about their use of License Plate Reader (LPR) technology.
dps.mn.gov
November 24, 2025 at 3:57 PM
This is the public location list managed by the state: dps.mn.gov/divisions/bc...
It should be mostly accurate for Flock and similar cameras on public roadways but lots of these have not yet been verified and added to DeFlock
It should be mostly accurate for Flock and similar cameras on public roadways but lots of these have not yet been verified and added to DeFlock
MN requires agencies to disclose ALPR locations so it's worth checking this list if you haven't found it already: dps.mn.gov/divisions/bc... Thanks for making noise about this, we've gotta be doing that everywhere
Agencies that use License Plate Readers (LPR) | Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Information provided by Minnesota law enforcement agencies about their use of License Plate Reader (LPR) technology.
dps.mn.gov
November 24, 2025 at 1:17 PM
MN requires agencies to disclose ALPR locations so it's worth checking this list if you haven't found it already: dps.mn.gov/divisions/bc... Thanks for making noise about this, we've gotta be doing that everywhere
ha yeah no kidding, I just noticed the mismatch and felt like I should mention it
November 23, 2025 at 11:47 PM
ha yeah no kidding, I just noticed the mismatch and felt like I should mention it
Though in this case it looks like you actually posted a nonwhite % map, not a poverty map. Highly correlated but not the same thing
November 23, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Though in this case it looks like you actually posted a nonwhite % map, not a poverty map. Highly correlated but not the same thing
It's always the same map
November 23, 2025 at 11:14 PM
It's always the same map
Thanks, I am starting to get into making data requests for something else and appreciate hearing how you've investigated this
November 21, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Thanks, I am starting to get into making data requests for something else and appreciate hearing how you've investigated this
I just don't think "cops don't use informants because it's easier for them to slurp up metadata" is accurate or helps activists develop a workable threat model. The physical layer is definitely important but do you have resources explaining how metadata alone could've gotten them this chat content?
November 21, 2025 at 5:02 PM
I just don't think "cops don't use informants because it's easier for them to slurp up metadata" is accurate or helps activists develop a workable threat model. The physical layer is definitely important but do you have resources explaining how metadata alone could've gotten them this chat content?
I just don't think that was a major factor in this story. The central issue is encryption doesn't absolve you from needing to trust your counterparties and the FBI had an informant in the group
November 21, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I just don't think that was a major factor in this story. The central issue is encryption doesn't absolve you from needing to trust your counterparties and the FBI had an informant in the group
Oh man I completely forgot about this movie but it definitely made an impression on me as a hacking-curious high schooler when it came out
November 21, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Oh man I completely forgot about this movie but it definitely made an impression on me as a hacking-curious high schooler when it came out
They should've led with a photo of one of border patrol's covert installations
November 20, 2025 at 6:59 PM
They should've led with a photo of one of border patrol's covert installations