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FBI Forced To Release 18 Hours of Spy Plane Footage (vice.com)
An anonymous Slashdot reader quotes a report from Motherboard:
It's been just over a year since amateur aviation sleuths first revealed the FBI's secret aerial surveillance of the civil unrest in Baltimore, Maryland. Now, in response to a FOIA request from the ACLU, the Bureau has released more than 18 hours of aerial footage from the Baltimore protests captured by their once-secret spy planes, which regularly fly in circles above major cities and are commonly registered to fake companies.
The cache is likely the most comprehensive collection of aerial surveillance footage ever released by a US law enforcement agency... The footage shows the crowds of protesters captured in a combination of visible light and infrared spectrum video taken by the planes' wing-mounted FLIR Talon cameras. While individual faces are not clearly visible in the videos, it's frighteningly easy to imagine how cameras with a slightly improved zoom resolution and face recognition technology could be used to identify protesters in the future.
The FBI says they're only using the planes to track specific suspectds in serious crime investigations, according to the article, which adds that "The FBI flew their spy planes more than 3,500 times in the last six months of 2015, according to a Buzzfeed News analysis of data collected by the aircraft-tracking site FlightRadar24."
The cache is likely the most comprehensive collection of aerial surveillance footage ever released by a US law enforcement agency... The footage shows the crowds of protesters captured in a combination of visible light and infrared spectrum video taken by the planes' wing-mounted FLIR Talon cameras. While individual faces are not clearly visible in the videos, it's frighteningly easy to imagine how cameras with a slightly improved zoom resolution and face recognition technology could be used to identify protesters in the future.
The FBI says they're only using the planes to track specific suspectds in serious crime investigations, according to the article, which adds that "The FBI flew their spy planes more than 3,500 times in the last six months of 2015, according to a Buzzfeed News analysis of data collected by the aircraft-tracking site FlightRadar24."
Understand they professional liars, please look again at the email server testimony.
Just like in the Shooting by FBI agents in Oregon, they reduce the quality of their video capture to some grainy piece of useless crap then hand it over to the public. Do you honestly think they spent billions, and can not facially recognize people from a plane camera? They could read a newspaper in the 60's from 38000 feet up.
Now ask yourself who is authorizing of this? Why? Robert "LaVoy" anyone?
tracking where you come from and where you go...
http://www.radiolab.org/story/eye-sky/
...news!
I guess law enforcement shouldn't be able to use aircraft or cameras. Maybe they shouldn't be able to use cars or computers, either.
I'll say it again: it is not the technology or capability that is at issue. In a free society governed by the rule of law, it is the LAW that is paramount.
And people laughed at the camouflage netting over my yard...
Many of these planes also have Stingray's (cell site simulators) so they ID everyone they fly over by their smartphones, they don't need to visually ID the people with the camera's. I am a pilot and saw one of these planes orbiting the Gurnee Mills Mall (Northern Chicago suburbs - could tell as it had the odd ball (where the camera is) sticking out behind one the main wheels on the 182), just cruising around and around at low altitude a couple of months ago. Felt very disconcerting to know my and my wife's phone ID had probably been swept up in that - turned them off but was obviously too late. Land of the free...
Other flights, however, circled a single location for several hours ...
It's difficult to believe a stationary/circling aircraft is following "specific suspects in serious crime investigations". At best, that's expensive surveillance of a building.
..
(HD Trailer, Bluethunder, 1983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Maybe we deserve this world ?
"..., it's frighteningly easy to imagine how cameras with a slightly improved zoom resolution and face recognition technology could be used to identify protesters in the future. "
Or frighteningly easy to imagine how video could be slightly degraded for release."
The FBI says they're only using the planes to track specific suspects in serious crime investigations.... then why are the registered to fake companies under fake names?
So protesters are criminals now?
Remember, You are unique...just like everyone else.
it's frighteningly easy to imagine how cameras with a slightly improved zoom resolution and face recognition technology could be used to identify protesters in the future.
You mean people who are in public could be identified? That people who are destroying other people's property or stabbing someone or randomly shooting could be identified so they could face justice?
Oh the horror of identifying criminals! Whatever shall we do if those committing crimes are found and punished.
How about identifying protesters of President Trump?
it's frighteningly easy to imagine how cameras with a slightly improved zoom resolution and face recognition technology could be used to identify protesters in the future. That people who are destroying other people's property or stabbing someone or randomly shooting could be identified so they could face justice?
You seem to have confused the definitions of riots and protests. However, for those concerned about their identities being revealed during protests, there are some high tech devices available that can help.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
The FBI says they're only using the planes to track specific suspectds in serious crime investigations
Wanna buy a shirt?
https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
The FBI says they're only using the planes to track specific suspects in serious crime investigations.... then why are the registered to fake companies under fake names?
That's the easiest part to explain. Not all criminals are stupid. Some of them are capable of spotting a plane with optics and looking up a tail number. The hard part to explain is why they're gathering footage from protests. Their bullshit explanations don't wash.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
They have to riot because the officials won't give them protesting permits.
Yeah, why don't they have "FBI" written in large letters on the side of the plane. It's not like they want the criminals to not know they're being watched.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_to_hide_argument
I don't think anyone should bother with anything else anymore than post a link to Wikipedia when they stumble across stupid comments like yours.
"The FBI says they're only using the planes to track specific suspects in serious crime investigations"
Somehow, with all we know about how the FBI works, I find this hard to believe.
"What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
So how good are you at playing "the Division." killing all those hoody wearing rioters?
Wearing those tend to get you beaten & arrested on the ground more than not.
Pain is merely failure leaving the body
The FBI says they're only using the planes to track specific suspects in serious crime investigations.... then why are the registered to fake companies under fake names?
That's the easiest part to explain. Not all criminals are stupid. Some of them are capable of spotting a plane with optics and looking up a tail number. The hard part to explain is why they're gathering footage from protests. Their bullshit explanations don't wash.
I agree. This is especially problematic with organized crime, cartels, etc. This sort of thing allows law enforcement to compartmentalize better. That is, not all investigators on a case need to know the when/where/why of special surveillance activities.
The more problematic part, and the part which gives me conflict about this (i.e., I believe law enforcement should have tools that allow them to do their jobs effectively, but I also believe that tools which promote/facilitate the erosion of civil liberties should be out of reach), is that while many people in the government are upstanding and law abiding, many are not. Remember, the employees of the federal government come from the same population in which we all live. There are good people and bad people. For every "good cop" who respects the rights of the average citizen and takes great care in discharging his or her responsibilities there is at least one "bad cop" who doesn't care or who willfully infringes on people's rights because he or she believes it is OK (e.g., the ends justify the means). We don't typically hear about the good cops and the cases with good outcomes, since those don't tend to make for good headlines. Rather we only hear about the bad episodes, of which there are plenty.
This is most definitely not an easy problem to solve.
You seem to have confused the definitions of riots and protests.
As did the Baltimore "protesters".
Except the cops, who are wearing balaclavas or stormtrooper helmets and have removed their badges and IDs.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Unless you're the police
You are welcome on my lawn.
So people are worried about being identified with the cameras...... How about the fact that the FBI has averaged at least 20 flights a day, every single day. The numbers will only grow.
We need to publicly address what are we getting for this intrusion into our lives? Is the losses worth the gains. For a primer look at america's terror war on terror. the U.S. averages 30 to 40 people killed for every target taken out....... The results whole cultures are becoming polarized against the U.S. for murdering random people from virtually invisible kill platforms out of a clear blue sky.
If for some strange reason america starts using armed drones inside the United states no other country is going to feel any sympathy. Hell the people of america don't seem to mind...
http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/12/...
I'd rather FBI drones than BLM criminals.
A lot of people are upset at the Bureau of Land Management, but I'm on their side.
...if I had a fleet of planes in my possession that I regularly flew over cities and the planes were also registered to fake companies for the purpose of obtaining video and pictures? Would I be arrested, charged or fined for these actions? If so, then why is it acceptable for the FBI?
"A plan fiendishly clever in its intricacies"- Homer Simpson
I'm sure they all went down to the permit office immediately before trying to follow the legal process.
Sadly, too many "good" cops are willing to lie and conceal evidence that would expose the activities of "bad" cops.
As far as I'm concerned, that should cost them the "good cop" appellation, but somehow it never does.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
Yeah, she's a crimer.
She crimes all the time with bald-faced impunity.
She crimes more before breakfast than most politicians crime in a lifetime.
And the stupid Republicans have been baying at her heels for twenty-five years and haven't been able to pin shit on her.
You've got to respect competence.
... on the tingoil hat.
Of course, to be even remotely effective it will have to be opaque to visible and infrared AND using it will have to be common enough that:
* lots of "uninteresting" people are wearing them at "interesting" events, and
* there are enough opaque-to-iR-and-visible light tents and shelters that it is common for the spooks to "lose tracking" when you go under the shade with other people and not be able to tell who is who when you lgo back out.
I don't see that first condition being met anytime soon - not unless wide-brim hats come back into fashion.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
I think we all know that our governments are collecting our data on everyone in every way possible. I'm surprised they are using planes. Just use the cameras in People's cell phones. In Canada the RCMP mine cell phone data and we have planes patrolling Toronto in evenings. And to those playing Pokemon Go, you think the gaming companies are the only ones using that data you send during your hunts? This is beyond what I ever imagined after reading 1984. I think even Orwell would be surprised: People installing software on their mobile cell phones that are being used like voluntary tracking ankle bracelets. Tin Foil hat's and Fariday cages anyone?
"Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
Fixing other typos is left as an exercise for the reader.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
That truly is frightening. The FBI doing, you know, like...their job!
Their job is mass surveillance without a warrant? Well, at least we're finally being honest about it.
"What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
For events like these, I drag out ye olde Motorola from the Reagan administration and leave the iPhone at home.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
And I probably shouldn't bother responding to stupid comments like yours since this is not about "nothing to hide". If there were 1,000 police watching the demonstrations that would be no difference than if the helicopter recorded everything.
The protestors are in public for everyone to see. That is their whole point. If you don't want to be seen then don't go to the protest.
Further, there are ALWAYS those criminals who use the excuse of protests to destroy someone else's property just for the lulz. They think it's great to stick it to the man or simply wreak havoc, completely forgetting they're destroying someone's livelihood.
This is where the police come in. They need to find out who committed the criminal act and arrest them. Whether the police visually see the event happen or it is recorded electronically the issue is the same: the act was done in the open for everyone to see. That is not the definition of "nothing to hide".
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Or perhaps identifying his supporters so that we know who's too stupid to be allowed a vote.
Tygra bought Kylie Jenner a 5 Million dollar FBI spy plane!
They say being a cop is a dangerous job. If the good cops got rid of the bad cops, the job would be less dangerous. Bad cops are why so many people have a hate on for the cops.
Flowers by Irene
If there were 1,000 police watching the demonstrations that would be no difference than if the helicopter recorded everything.
If there are 1000 police at a protest, then it's clear to the protesters that LEO is observing. A small drone, high above is effectively secret. LEO presence discourages (you can say intimidates) peaceful protesters from getting out of hand. A drone flying high overhead has no preventative role, it can only be punitive. Maybe more importantly, if an LEO sees you, there's small chance he will recognize you. If he recognizes you, there is small chance he will remember you next year. A drone flying over a protest, then next month's protest, and so on, with automated recognition, gets to build a database of "usual suspects." Exercising your right to free assembly and free speech should not make you a suspect.
In the U.S., police are restricted in the "searches" they can conduct without a warrant. They may conduct "reasonable" searches without a warrant because our Constitution protects against "unreasonable" searches. The police may observe activity with their eyes from the street or other public place. Technology raises other issues. The Supreme Court found it "unreasonable" to use an infrared camera to look at houses to see which ones had excess heat to identify houses that were growing marijuana and using hot grow lamps. Just about anything goes in an airport: x-rays, dogs, etc. It would be interesting to see what the Supreme Court would make of these observations. It may be that the quality of the cameras was selected precisely to stay within some perceived Constitutional limit. Violating those limits could destroy the entire case because not only the evidence gathered illegally, but all it led to ("fruit of the poisonous tree") is excluded from a trial.
"They say being a cop is a dangerous job"
Then they haven't looked at any real statistics. There are at least a dozen other professions that are more dangerous than being in law enforcement, and most aren't even all that unique. Sure you have loggers & fisherman towards the top, but you also have roofers, aircraft mechanics, farmers, etc. Every-time someone pulls out the "cops have a dangerous job" justification for misconduct I laugh, from a "safety" perspective a roofer has more justification to shoot someone messing with their ladder than a police officer has to shoot someone who looked like they were "going for a gun" (even if one isn't found afterwards) and yet you won't find many suggesting that a roofer who did so shouldn't spend a day in jail.
That wasn't a stingray. They were using it to survey the roof of the mall for inspection. Christ.
FYI I used to fly a plane with "extra" antennas that we had a contract for to fly around the city looking for leaking cable TV signals.
No, dipshit. Collecting evidence on criminals destroying a city.
Fuck your false equivalence and fuck you.
Wait, when did a city get destroyed. Godzilla Lives Matter?
Wanna buy a shirt?
https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
On front page now:
https://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=9500129&cid=52665215
https://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=9499723&cid=52665271
and this story...
and they were outed a couple days ago here
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/16/08/05/0329246/popular-bittorrent-search-engine-site-torrentzeu-mysteriously-disappears
read all comments.
So yeah, just tell us all about these recent revelations Slashdot and BurEAUHD.
They are spinning it as if they are just spying on you to help you. yeah yeah that's the ticket. We are just watching your backs so another 9/11 doesn't happen yeah.. yeah.. nnnnyeaahhhhh
Fuck you.
A drone flying high overhead has no preventative role, it can only be punitive.
No, it allows the police to act in a preventative way without having to risk the presence of so many officers and equipment on the ground where they're not even needed. That's the whole point. If a riot starts boiling over, move the resources to where they're needed - don't put more resources than you can afford everywhere, even where they're not needed, just in case. And if you can spot a group of people lighting up molotov cocktails down the block before those "protesters" have managed to burn down a whole row of businesses, you are very much in preventative mode.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
Oh, so they released footage taken from the supposedly non-existent planes?
The planes that they denied existed until they were forced to admit that they were in fact real and conducting surveillance of American cities?
You mean those planes?
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
If they don't have their permit to assemble. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_assemble
Because the agency by definition is in a role to check, investigate, and snoop around. One does not do that loudly, so the fake registrations are meant to aid their mission. This is not the department of agriculture office workers here.
By the way, a few years ago while in Florida I saw a dilapidated looking 1970's van was chugging down the street & pouring smoke. License plate was registered to Hawaii. When a certain car stopped at the toll-booth suddenly this yesteryear van bolted forward & skidded to a stop... out jumped a swat team or something- and captured this drug dealer in the car. Van took off with the guy in a streak of lighting, (but still pouring smoke). We understood the whole getup to be a disguise.
Point of the story? Sometime you need a disguise whether physical or paperwork- it allows you to be ignored & do your mission.
"a slightly improved zoom resolution and face recognition technology"
That technology has been around since the 90's w/other agencies. Just that the FBI can't afford it and thus look to COTS hardware (aka Flir).
Law enforcement is around the 40th most dangerous job...
Meanwhile being a barber is way way more dangerous
Also probably easier to cut through FBI red tape to get something like this authorized.
Companies do it daily to move tax money around.
Man that's a walk even for Godzilla. CA yeah I can see that but Detroit? Hope he has a fitbit.
"The FBI says..."
That's how modern-day fairy tales begin.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
That truly is frightening. The FBI doing, you know, like...their job!
Their job is mass surveillance without a warrant? Well, at least we're finally being honest about it.
Group surveillance, not mass. Should they get a warrant the next time someone wants a head count of some public event?
People in public spaces have no expectations of privacy.
Saw a small plane/drone flying around Randhurst Mall on my way to work one day too. No clue if it was law enforcement of privately owned, though. Sure seem to be a lot of these in the Chicago suburbs...
The aircraft registration and date is there in some xml. ... stRef:filePath="N859JA-2015-04-29-001819.ts" ...
I'll say it again: it is not the technology or capability that is at issue. In a free society governed by the rule of law, it is the LAW that is paramount.
In theory, law is paramount, but we are governed by the rule of lawmakers not law. Our entire society is strangled by our self-fulfilling legal system. Look at how... well... EVERYTHING runs. EULAs. Disclaimers. TV commercials that flash miniscule paragraphs on the screen. Mountains of paperwork to do anything. Lawsuits lawsuits lawsuits. We are steeped in a society that lawyers have created, and manage, and ensure that we stay that way. Don't like something? Create a new law to make it legal. (not you or me... people with power) Everything is based on precedent. If someone got away with it once, it's probably OK to do again - and the opposite holds true as well. A police officer can chase you and if you run, you have broken the law (fleeing). Laws laws laws laws. I GUARANTEE YOU that these spy planes are legal according to some law that was passed at some point. Don't think so, well, you'll have to prove it. By then the laws will have been changed.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
It's gonna be a sunny day.
They're doing the same thing over ASU in Tempe AZ, starting from the airport in Deer Valley.
by running strings on the video files and looking at the XML. Then you can look up that
number at the FAA site to see who owns the plane. So they're not non-existent.
Strings never ceases to amaze.
Or perhaps identifying his supporters so that we know who's too stupid to be allowed a vote.
That's simple, just don't allow ACs.
Just another day in Paradise
Law enforcement is around the 40th most dangerous job...
Meanwhile being a barber is way way more dangerous
Is that what they mean by "buzz kill"?
Just another day in Paradise
You really think the police are using it for those purposes? No they are using it to gather as much info on people as they can for a later date.
If you believe they are using the planes to PREVENT riots, etc.,I have some ocean front property in Colorado I have for sale you might want to look at.
So a van pulled up and took some guy away so fast you could still see the dust? I don't think you witnessed an arrest. Sounds like you witnessed a kidnapping or an abduction lol.
With so much surveillance technology being deployed I wonder if any has ever been used to spot taggers in progress. I see lots of cameras being deployed everywhere, there is also lots of youtube footage of all kinds of crazy stuff but none (at least I haven't found any) of graffiti taggers in progress. I see bridges and signs with extremely difficult access all marked up, I'm amazed they manage to reach these places and return safely instead of going splat in the middle lanes of a freeway.
mfwright@batnet.com
Under the State Constitution, it's illegal for the FBI to do this as well.
However, it is legal for them to do it over military reservations, federal parks, and public waterways.
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
The 90s called; they want their terrible joke back.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Where in that does it say 'permit required' for your rights?
Seriously.. where the fuck does it say that the government can stop you from assembling and petitioning your own government??
That's right.. It does not. Go to North Korea if you don't like it, or, vote for people who will piss off the rest of your fellow citizens less.
Otherwise just accept the fact that sometimes people who are upset will inconvenience you.
> The hard part to explain is why they're gathering footage from protests. Their bullshit explanations don't wash.
So, the looting and violence aren't reasons? What about the people who go around killing cops? Why don't you just blame Obama for it while you're at it? What? He's in charge of the FBI and you certainly would blame the leadership if it was someone you didn't like.
Yeah, too bad that the FBI doesn't seem to know what the LAW really is. Problem much?
If you're going to join a protest demonstration, make sure you've shaved, shine your shoes, comb your hair, cover up your more offensive tattoos, wear presentable clothes (if at all possible wear a tie). Comport yourself with quiet dignity throughout the demonstration. Also make sure any slogans you hold are correctly spelled.
It could swing the jury your way at trial years later when the footage is produced in court as part of examination of your character.
So, the looting and violence aren't reasons?
That's the thing. Instead of saying that, they made up vague bullshit. Even I could dream up better bullshit.
Why don't you just blame Obama for it while you're at it? What? He's in charge of the FBI and you certainly would blame the leadership if it was someone you didn't like.
I am not an Obama fan. I did not vote for Obama. I registered as a Democrat for long enough to support Bernie, and have already re-registered as no party preference so as not to be confused with the Democrats. Hope this helps.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Here is an example:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_Detroit_riot
It started with protests, then went into a full scale riot and looting. After 5 days of chaos and mayhem they had to send the US army to end it.
Sorry. With the recent decline of real journalists covering our asses at government events (affording government more opportunities to get corrupt), and the un-trust-worthiness of our government and corporations, the coming of "Big Brother" is upon us!
Are YOU willing to be subjugated?
Self-importance and self-indulgence is the root of ALL evil.
If there's a big protest, then sending a lot of police to keep an eye on it makes sense. The police on the ground have the potential to either keep things peaceful or cut off violence before it spreads. If someone starts lighting molotov cocktails, a few police on the scene are going to be much more useful than someone flying around the sky and trying to watch everything at once. (At least if the guy with the firebombs isn't FBI.)
If there's cameras watching the whole protest, and there aren't eyes on them, then they're pretty much useless in preventing anything from happening. If someone does happen to catch a view of the firebombers, there's not likely to be time to direct officers to the area before the situation goes out of control.
Unless, of course, there's enough police to distribute them over the protest area, which is basically what GP thought would be better than a surveillance aircraft.
"When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
If you have to go back 50 years for an example, you're not talking about a big problem.
"When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
Thanks for the chuckle, my friend!
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.