Dave Maass 🔦
@maassive.bsky.social
Investigations at EFF, researching border and police tech. Scholar in res. at UNR Reynolds School of Journalism. My graphic novel Death Strikes: The Emperor of Atlantis (https://a.co/d/gHsJzAa) is out now from Berger Books/Dark Horse.
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
Activists in more and more cities are pressuring local elected officials to rethink their automated license plate reader contracts, or at least to put more solid privacy protections and accountability in place, EFF’s Rin Alajaji told @AZMirror.com.
azmirror.com/2025/11/13/...
azmirror.com/2025/11/13/...
Glendale police used an ethnic slur to search a license plate surveillance database
Glendale police used anti-Romani slur in Flock surveillance system search as privacy advocates warn of abuse risks
azmirror.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Activists in more and more cities are pressuring local elected officials to rethink their automated license plate reader contracts, or at least to put more solid privacy protections and accountability in place, EFF’s Rin Alajaji told @AZMirror.com.
azmirror.com/2025/11/13/...
azmirror.com/2025/11/13/...
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
A Reno man is suing a police officer in federal court after being wrongfully arrested at the Peppermill Casino due to an artificial intelligence facial recognition error.
👉 More on This Is Reno: thisisreno.com/2025/11/pepp...
#thisisreno #renonews #reno #renonv #biggestlittlecity #localnews
👉 More on This Is Reno: thisisreno.com/2025/11/pepp...
#thisisreno #renonews #reno #renonv #biggestlittlecity #localnews
AI Facial Recognition Leads to Wrongful Arrest at Casino
Peppermill Casino's AI facial recognition system misidentifies a UPS driver as a trespasser, leading to wrongful arrest and lawsuit.
thisisreno.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:30 AM
A Reno man is suing a police officer in federal court after being wrongfully arrested at the Peppermill Casino due to an artificial intelligence facial recognition error.
👉 More on This Is Reno: thisisreno.com/2025/11/pepp...
#thisisreno #renonews #reno #renonv #biggestlittlecity #localnews
👉 More on This Is Reno: thisisreno.com/2025/11/pepp...
#thisisreno #renonews #reno #renonv #biggestlittlecity #localnews
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
The Grand Prairie Police Department in Texas searched for "g*psy" six times while using Flock's "Convoy" feature, which allows an agency to identify vehicles traveling together—in essence targeting an entire community of Roma without specifying a crime.
Anti-Roma racism is rampant in Flock Safety license plate searches www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
License Plate Surveillance Logs Reveal Racist Policing Against Romani People
More than 80 law enforcement agencies across the United States have used language perpetuating harmful stereotypes against Romani people when searching the nationwide Flock Safety automated license pl...
www.eff.org
November 3, 2025 at 9:43 PM
The Grand Prairie Police Department in Texas searched for "g*psy" six times while using Flock's "Convoy" feature, which allows an agency to identify vehicles traveling together—in essence targeting an entire community of Roma without specifying a crime.
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
Cops ran hundreds of searches for license plates using targeted and offensive terms such as "roma" and "g*psy," and in many instances, without any mention of a suspected crime---perpetuating systemic harm by demeaning individuals based on their race or ethnicity. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
License Plate Surveillance Logs Reveal Racist Policing Against Romani
More than 80 law enforcement agencies across the United States have used language perpetuating harmful stereotypes against Romani people when searching the nationwide Flock Safety automated license
www.eff.org
November 4, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Cops ran hundreds of searches for license plates using targeted and offensive terms such as "roma" and "g*psy," and in many instances, without any mention of a suspected crime---perpetuating systemic harm by demeaning individuals based on their race or ethnicity. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
Flock Safety audit logs obtained and analyzed by EFF reveal that law enforcement agencies across the US have used language perpetuating harmful stereotypes against Romani people when searching the nationwide ALPR network. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
License Plate Surveillance Logs Reveal Racist Policing Against Romani
More than 80 law enforcement agencies across the United States have used language perpetuating harmful stereotypes against Romani people when searching the nationwide Flock Safety automated license
www.eff.org
November 3, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Flock Safety audit logs obtained and analyzed by EFF reveal that law enforcement agencies across the US have used language perpetuating harmful stereotypes against Romani people when searching the nationwide ALPR network. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
The Grand Prairie Police Department in Texas searched for "g*psy" six times while using Flock's "Convoy" feature, which allows an agency to identify vehicles traveling together—in essence targeting an entire community of Roma without specifying a crime.
Anti-Roma racism is rampant in Flock Safety license plate searches www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
License Plate Surveillance Logs Reveal Racist Policing Against Romani People
More than 80 law enforcement agencies across the United States have used language perpetuating harmful stereotypes against Romani people when searching the nationwide Flock Safety automated license pl...
www.eff.org
November 3, 2025 at 9:43 PM
The Grand Prairie Police Department in Texas searched for "g*psy" six times while using Flock's "Convoy" feature, which allows an agency to identify vehicles traveling together—in essence targeting an entire community of Roma without specifying a crime.
Anti-Roma racism is rampant in Flock Safety license plate searches www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
License Plate Surveillance Logs Reveal Racist Policing Against Romani People
More than 80 law enforcement agencies across the United States have used language perpetuating harmful stereotypes against Romani people when searching the nationwide Flock Safety automated license pl...
www.eff.org
November 3, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Anti-Roma racism is rampant in Flock Safety license plate searches www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
I’ve been a fan of @eff.org for a long time, and I’m joining them in the fight to #TakeBackCTRL. Authoritarians are using tech to spy on us and silence our voices. Technology should enhance our lives and support democracy, not make them worse. Join the fight today: takebackctrl.org
Take Back CTRL
Dont let tyrants co-opt tech. Join EFF and help fight back
takebackctrl.org
October 29, 2025 at 12:57 AM
I’ve been a fan of @eff.org for a long time, and I’m joining them in the fight to #TakeBackCTRL. Authoritarians are using tech to spy on us and silence our voices. Technology should enhance our lives and support democracy, not make them worse. Join the fight today: takebackctrl.org
Tucson PD spent a ton of money on Cobwebs/Tangles to conduct mass surveillance during a gem show and a Harris election event
“I’m just flabbergasted. I for sure don’t want anybody surveilling me on the basis of being in the city of Tucson, in my district, just going about my personal business.”
story via @jerodmacevoy.com
story via @jerodmacevoy.com
TPD used border security money for controversial surveillance software
Tucson police Cobwebs surveillance tool funded by border security raises privacy concerns among Arizona lawmakers
azmirror.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Tucson PD spent a ton of money on Cobwebs/Tangles to conduct mass surveillance during a gem show and a Harris election event
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
Just incredibly, unnecessarily cruel. And I’d be shocked if there wasn’t wanton corruption going on here, too.
It literally took decades of advocacy to pass these reforms, which would have prevented prison phone and teleconferencing companies from ripping off inmates and their families to the tune of hundreds of millions annually
F.C.C. Changes Course on the Price of Prisoners’ Phone Calls
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Just incredibly, unnecessarily cruel. And I’d be shocked if there wasn’t wanton corruption going on here, too.
Just to clarify: M2S2 systems aren't new at the border, although some of the proposed AI/autonomous features may be. They're essentially just an upgrade of the MVSS program. Texas has been crowing about its M2S2s for awhile. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXy7...
October 25, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Just to clarify: M2S2 systems aren't new at the border, although some of the proposed AI/autonomous features may be. They're essentially just an upgrade of the MVSS program. Texas has been crowing about its M2S2s for awhile. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXy7...
More please.
October 21, 2025 at 2:02 PM
More please.
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
🔔 Join a discussion about digital safety and legal rights for journalists reporting on immigration in the U.S, featuring @harloholm.es, @jennifernelson.bsky.social, @ckuck.bsky.social, @maassive.bsky.social, and Lucy Westcott.
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
RSVP: cpj.org/USJANPanel
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
RSVP: cpj.org/USJANPanel
October 20, 2025 at 8:19 PM
🔔 Join a discussion about digital safety and legal rights for journalists reporting on immigration in the U.S, featuring @harloholm.es, @jennifernelson.bsky.social, @ckuck.bsky.social, @maassive.bsky.social, and Lucy Westcott.
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
RSVP: cpj.org/USJANPanel
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
RSVP: cpj.org/USJANPanel
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
ICYMI: California's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against El Cajon (CA) for sharing license plate reader data with agencies outside of California, in violation of a 2016 California state law.
Evidence: transparency.flocksafety.com/-el-cajon-pd...
calmatters.org/justice/2025...
Evidence: transparency.flocksafety.com/-el-cajon-pd...
calmatters.org/justice/2025...
California sues city over surveillance data, warns it can be shared with federal agencies
California limits how police store and share data they collect with automated license plate readers to protect residents' privacy. The state is suing El Cajon, alleging it's misusing that data.
calmatters.org
October 19, 2025 at 3:56 PM
ICYMI: California's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against El Cajon (CA) for sharing license plate reader data with agencies outside of California, in violation of a 2016 California state law.
Evidence: transparency.flocksafety.com/-el-cajon-pd...
calmatters.org/justice/2025...
Evidence: transparency.flocksafety.com/-el-cajon-pd...
calmatters.org/justice/2025...
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
📢 BREAKING NEWS 📢
EFF and co-counsel have filed a lawsuit against the Departments of State and Homeland Security for their viewpoint-based surveillance and suppression of First Amendment-protected speech online. (1/5)
EFF and co-counsel have filed a lawsuit against the Departments of State and Homeland Security for their viewpoint-based surveillance and suppression of First Amendment-protected speech online. (1/5)
October 16, 2025 at 7:01 PM
📢 BREAKING NEWS 📢
EFF and co-counsel have filed a lawsuit against the Departments of State and Homeland Security for their viewpoint-based surveillance and suppression of First Amendment-protected speech online. (1/5)
EFF and co-counsel have filed a lawsuit against the Departments of State and Homeland Security for their viewpoint-based surveillance and suppression of First Amendment-protected speech online. (1/5)
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
In the latest installment of Bad Letters, let's learn from EFF's @maassive.bsky.social about the surveillance tech that could soon be roaming the skies in your city. Learn more at www.eff.org/DFR.
October 14, 2025 at 10:27 PM
In the latest installment of Bad Letters, let's learn from EFF's @maassive.bsky.social about the surveillance tech that could soon be roaming the skies in your city. Learn more at www.eff.org/DFR.
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
🔔 Join a discussion about digital safety and legal rights for journalists reporting on immigration in the U.S, featuring @harloholm.es, @jennifernelson.bsky.social, @ckuck.bsky.social, @maassive.bsky.social, and Lucy Westcott.
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
RSVP: cpj.org/USJANPanel
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
RSVP: cpj.org/USJANPanel
October 14, 2025 at 7:33 PM
🔔 Join a discussion about digital safety and legal rights for journalists reporting on immigration in the U.S, featuring @harloholm.es, @jennifernelson.bsky.social, @ckuck.bsky.social, @maassive.bsky.social, and Lucy Westcott.
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
RSVP: cpj.org/USJANPanel
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
RSVP: cpj.org/USJANPanel
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
AND that departments must retain draft and edit info! Huge news considering Axon’s product deliberately doesn’t retain info on what parts of the report were written by officers or AI.
Important first step in regulating police AI in CA: Newsom signs SB 524: requiring that police reports written by generative AI say so, also bans AI vendors from selling or sharing info provided by police: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTe...
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
October 14, 2025 at 2:37 PM
AND that departments must retain draft and edit info! Huge news considering Axon’s product deliberately doesn’t retain info on what parts of the report were written by officers or AI.
Signed yesterday!
California’s S.B. 524, which puts important guardrails on police using AI to write police reports, has passed through the statehouse. Now it’s time for us to tell Governor Newsom to sign it into law. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
California, Tell Governor Newsom: Regulate AI Police Reports and Sign
Californians should urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign S.B. 524: a common-sense bill that takes important first-step reforms to regulate police reports written by generative AI. This is crucial, as
www.eff.org
October 11, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Signed yesterday!
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
This is why neither the companies profiting from a technology nor the agencies deploying it can be trusted to tell the full story about how it's being used. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Flock Safety and Texas Sheriff Claimed License Plate Search Was for a
New documents and court records obtained by EFF show that Texas deputies queried Flock Safety's surveillance data in an abortion investigation, contradicting the narrative promoted by the company and
www.eff.org
October 8, 2025 at 6:03 PM
This is why neither the companies profiting from a technology nor the agencies deploying it can be trusted to tell the full story about how it's being used. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
NEW: Cops in Texas told 404 Media in May they used Flock to find a woman who self-administered an abortion out of concern for her safety.
Documents now show police were conducting a “death investigation” and discussed whether they could charge her with a crime: www.404media.co/police-said-...
Documents now show police were conducting a “death investigation” and discussed whether they could charge her with a crime: www.404media.co/police-said-...
Police Said They Surveilled Woman Who Had an Abortion for Her 'Safety.' Court Records Show They Considered Charging Her With a Crime
Court records show that the narrative Flock and a Texas Sheriff's Office has told the public isn't the whole story, and that police were conducting a 'death investigation' into the abortion.
www.404media.co
October 7, 2025 at 1:30 PM
NEW: Cops in Texas told 404 Media in May they used Flock to find a woman who self-administered an abortion out of concern for her safety.
Documents now show police were conducting a “death investigation” and discussed whether they could charge her with a crime: www.404media.co/police-said-...
Documents now show police were conducting a “death investigation” and discussed whether they could charge her with a crime: www.404media.co/police-said-...
Flock Safety can try to deny that its ALPR network was used by a Texas sheriff to investigate a woman who had an abortion, but newly obtained records show that it was, in fact, a "death investigation" of a non-viable fetus.
Deputies even considered charging her for it.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Deputies even considered charging her for it.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Flock Safety and Texas Sheriff Claimed License Plate Search Was for a Missing Person. It Was an Abortion Investigation.
New documents and court records obtained by EFF show that Texas deputies queried Flock Safety's surveillance data in an abortion investigation, contradicting the narrative promoted by the company and ...
www.eff.org
October 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Flock Safety can try to deny that its ALPR network was used by a Texas sheriff to investigate a woman who had an abortion, but newly obtained records show that it was, in fact, a "death investigation" of a non-viable fetus.
Deputies even considered charging her for it.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Deputies even considered charging her for it.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
NEW: In May, a Texas police department said they used the powerful Flock surveillance network against a woman who had an abortion "for her safety"
Newly obtained court records show it was a 'death investigation,' and they considered charging her with a crime
www.404media.co/police-said-...
Newly obtained court records show it was a 'death investigation,' and they considered charging her with a crime
www.404media.co/police-said-...
Police Said They Surveilled Woman Who Had an Abortion for Her 'Safety.' Court Records Show They Considered Charging Her With a Crime
Court records show that the narrative Flock and a Texas Sheriff's Office has told the public isn't the whole story, and that police were conducting a 'death investigation' into the abortion.
www.404media.co
October 7, 2025 at 1:04 PM
NEW: In May, a Texas police department said they used the powerful Flock surveillance network against a woman who had an abortion "for her safety"
Newly obtained court records show it was a 'death investigation,' and they considered charging her with a crime
www.404media.co/police-said-...
Newly obtained court records show it was a 'death investigation,' and they considered charging her with a crime
www.404media.co/police-said-...
Reposted by Dave Maass 🔦
Another really well put together video discussing the scale and dangers of Flock's dystopian, mass surveillance network.
Contains interviews with Will Freeman, the creator of deflock.me 🤜🤛, and EFF's @maassive.bsky.social.
#deflock #redmond #surveillance #alpr #flocksafety
Contains interviews with Will Freeman, the creator of deflock.me 🤜🤛, and EFF's @maassive.bsky.social.
#deflock #redmond #surveillance #alpr #flocksafety
The police's terrifying new cameras
YouTube video by Christophe
youtu.be
October 6, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Another really well put together video discussing the scale and dangers of Flock's dystopian, mass surveillance network.
Contains interviews with Will Freeman, the creator of deflock.me 🤜🤛, and EFF's @maassive.bsky.social.
#deflock #redmond #surveillance #alpr #flocksafety
Contains interviews with Will Freeman, the creator of deflock.me 🤜🤛, and EFF's @maassive.bsky.social.
#deflock #redmond #surveillance #alpr #flocksafety