Denver opted you in for surveillance, you cannot opt out. Stop giving Kyle Clark so much of your valuable time. If you didn't yet, please go vote.
Denver opted you in for surveillance, you cannot opt out.
I posted earlier about how Denver is thoughtlessly looking out for your safety by taking pictures of your car and using an out of state contractor to keep pictures of where your car was and when so they (or partner law enforcement agencies) can look you up.
I linked to that earlier post first below if you want details.
I was curious to know the details of the agreement between the city and Flock Safety Solutions (the contractor who maintains the database of pictures and who sells the cameras).
I also wanted to know whether or not I (and anyone else) could choose not to participate, to opt out. I mean, I understand that the cameras might make it easier to find a stolen car or to solve a crime, but what if I find the value of that to be less than the value of not having any record of where I go be kept by the government or a private company?
I got the contract via a CORA request and link to it second below. As with many contracts, there is tons of boilerplate that doesn't really illuminate much. There were some highlights though.
It's clear that the City and County of Denver has big concerns about their data and privacy. Would that they had this level of care for citizens too.
Denver paid $339,450 for 12 months of service.
Flock had a say in where to deploy their cameras. If Denver wants to move them, we get to pay Flock for that. See screenshot 1.
Flock owns the cameras, not Denver. See screenshot 2.
And now the bad news. If you are NOT a fan of a surveillance state, there is no way for you to choose to not participate here.
I contacted Flock and they wouldn't go on record about opting out. They referred me to their customer (remember, you as a taxpayer are paying for this but you're not a customer here, you're a data point) Denver Police Department.
After a lengthy wait, I finally heard back from DPD. No you cannot opt out here. They reminded me of all the safety I enjoy and how it helps solve crimes, etc. But you still cannot choose to not participate in their surveillance.
Quoting the email I received from their press person:
"You are referring to the Safelist which is more suited for an HOA resident or private business for their staff members. A private Flock LPR system quickly identifies the plate as a resident or staff member to eliminate this plate from any searching for a suspect vehicle by filtering it out. This is not an option for law enforcement as we may have residents of Denver committing crimes and/or being a victim of a crime so Safelisting a resident of Denver is not feasible."
I have a problem with this. Legally, I have no expectation of privacy for my license plate. I have go have a valid one and it has to be displayed on the car. As such, it is public information.
Still, keeping track of where I go, the government taking pictures, a private company keeping this information is something I should be able to choose to not participate in. You have options all over about the how's and why's of where your information is stored by online companies, you have the option to opt out, why is this different?
If you try and follow Denver's logic here, because you might be committing a crime or a victim (one wonders if Denver would toss in "thinking about committing a crime here") you can't opt out of being watched. Even knowing the risks and choosing to accept them, you cannot say no.
It's simply not feasible for you as a citizen to do that.
Oh, and can I remind you that you get to pay for the privilege?
https://coloradoaccountabilityproject.substack.com/p/denver-looking-out-for-us-children?utm_source=publication-search
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a4g-rLT5cNrbRq3nNe0ixEnIrpIqyrPt/view?usp=sharing
If you're giving Kyle Clark far too much of your valuable and finite time, I've got some ideas of how you could spend it better.
I know that Kyle Clark is biased. I know he is vain and self-satisfied. I know that he can't get the basics of journalism right (such as correcting his factual errors).
None of this matters. He will never, not ever, no matter what he does or says (outside of something hugely egregious) face any sort of consequence or be pushed into any sort of change. There is nothing you can do or say to change this.
His bosses at 9News are too smart to kill the goose that craps golden eggs.
His colleagues in the media won't say much if anything. He is their spirit animal on account of he can sure do some zingers on social media.
Let's not even talk about the support of his loyal fans. He is a very socially (and media) savvy person and is perfectly tailored for the Denver media market; his progressive values fit hand in glove with Denver's pronounced political lean.
Kyle Clark will continue to be rewarded despite his excesses. His audience (and those that hate him ironically) will continue to let him monetize their attention.
Are you willing to take some advice if you're spending lots of your time on Mr. Clark?
Stop. Like in the screengrab from the Simpsons above: just don't look.
I remember talking with someone once. He (a longtime newspaper editor) told me that there are two audiences for opinion: those that agree, and those that tune in to see just exactly what the jerk gets wrong this week.
If you can shut off the part of your brain that is there to see just exactly what Mr. Clark gets wrong this week long enough to get a moment's clarity on what he's actually saying, you will find what I have.
You will find that Kyle Clark is really not ever saying anything too profound or insightful; his words only take on the heightened sense of importance that you allow them to have. Your emotional response to him, not his thoughts are what drive the reaction.
If you want a clear example, watch a few snippets from a panel he did at DU. If you have trouble seeing what I mean, turn off the sound and turn on the captions for Clark's parts. Or, turn away from the computer, shut your eyes and focus on the words.
Lots of social skills, some thoughtful content, more often applause lines and platitudes.**
What I mean is that by NOT watching Kyle Clark, you won't be missing much. Popularity and fame do not make him more insightful than the average human.
When you watch Mr. Clark, you are, in fact, supporting him. You're giving him money because you must remember that you are the product he sells to advertisers.
If you are wasting time on Clark, and if you're still open to some advice, I have some thoughts as to what you could do with your time instead of giving it to him.
--Write a letter to the editor about a local issue
--Attend a meeting of your city council
--Attend a county commissioners meeting
--Attend a school board meeting
--Speak up about an issue of concern at any of the above
--Write your local officials about a concern
--Write your state senator or representative about a concern
--Get on a state or local board
--If you live in a city, read Rachel Gabel's FB site or op eds. Same for the Van Winkle FB pages
--If you live in a rural area, write a letter to the editor in a Front Range paper about what state policy has done in your area. Same if you are in Ag.
The list could go on and on.
The activity itself doesn't matter as much as the idea here: getting mad at Kyle Clark, sending him mean messages on social media or via email, none of this will do anything productive.
Doing anything on the list above has the potential to so much more in this state and won't leave you with that sour taste in your throat you get from being angry.
**Interesting to note the shift in tone by Clark here. Like many of the politicians he's talked with, he's learned well how to shift his content and tone to match what his audience would like in different contexts.
If you didn't yet, go vote.
Go in person.
Get your ballot to your county clerk.
Go and vote. Remind others you know who haven't yet, to do the same.
Fort Collins, Boulder, and Lafayette have these speed cameras too.