Internet Comment Etiquette: "Please Flock my Wife" | Internet Comment Etiquette with Erik

The Gist

Erik uses news reports to demonstrate how easily automated license plate readers and data databases are hacked, concluding that tracking people is impossible and pointing out that his own wife is actually dead and buried in his backyard.

Quick Overview

Erik explores the massive rise of AI-enabled street cameras and license plate readers across the United States operated by companies like Flock Safety. He breaks down how easily these police surveillance networks are hacked using simple hardware tricks and hardcoded passwords like admin and security. After checking footage across various surveillance feeds to locate his missing wife, Erik realizes that she died and is buried in his backyard.

Key Points: Flock Safety is a leading manufacturer of automated license plate readers and surveillance cameras used by municipalities across the United States. Journalist Benn Jordan revealed that Flock cameras are shockingly easy to hack by pressing a button three times to create a Wi-Fi access point and exploiting hardcoded passwords. Erik attempts to use police surveillance networks and commentary platforms to track down his wife, who he believes is missing after leaving the house. The Los Angeles Police Department announced it is ending its agreement with Flock Safety due to serious concerns surrounding civil liberties, privacy, and data collection. Erik discovers that his wife did not run away from home, but rather died and was buried in his own backyard all along. Internet Comment Etiquette with Erik concludes with a promotion of his Neon Grizzly merch store selling gay frog hoodies and tank tops.

Context: Erik hosts Internet Comment Etiquette, a comedy tutorial series where he satirizes toxic internet culture, conspiracy theories, and online comment sections while utilizing green screen backdrops and absurd narratives.

Detailed Analysis

Erik dives into the unsettling rise of automated police surveillance networks and automatic license plate readers operated by companies like Flock Safety. He highlights a report from NBC News covering public pushback in Pasadena against automated tracking, alongside investigations by journalist Benn Jordan demonstrating how easy these cameras are to hack using default factory passwords and ADB commands. Erik weaves these tech security flaws into his personal quest to find his missing wife, searching through hacked camera feeds from Atlanta and Las Vegas. After finding that cities like Los Angeles are pulling out of contracts with Flock over privacy violations, Erik returns home to discover the tragic truth that his wife died and is buried under the dirt in his own backyard.