Technology

The privacy predicament of NYC’s Traffic Cam Photobooth site

Published

2 days ago

September 5, 2024

The privacy predicament of NYC’s Traffic Cam Photobooth site

On the streets of New York City, an interesting yet slightly unsettling trend is unfolding, where technology meets the ever-present eyes of surveillance.

This is the world of the Traffic Cam Photobooth, a website brought to life by Brooklyn artist Morry Kolman. The website allows you to take selfies using the city’s traffic cameras, offering a quirky twist on capturing your city adventures.

However, while it might seem like harmless fun, this innovation also sparks a significant conversation about privacy and security. In a city where surveillance is omnipresent, this website challenges us to rethink what privacy means in public spaces and how comfortable we are with being constantly watched.

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Images from website (Traffic Cam Photobooth)

The website’s functionality

So, how does this website work? Trafficcamphotobooth.com gives you access to over 900 traffic cameras scattered across New York City. With just a few clicks, you can select a camera from various locations and snap a photo in either a filmstrip, Polaroid or neon-green format. The Polaroid frame includes the caption: “I’m being watched.” The innovation behind this website lies in the New York City Department of Transportation’s (DOT) live camera feeds, which update every two seconds.

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Kolman was inspired by a creative challenge in a class he was taking to snap a picture without being behind the camera, leading to this innovative use of public infrastructure. It’s a playful twist on traditional photography that quickly captures the public’s imagination. But as fun as it sounds, it also raises some important privacy concerns.

The 900 cameras across New York City (Traffic Cam Photobooth)

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The website’s privacy concerns

So, let’s talk privacy. While the idea of using public traffic cameras to take personal photos might sound harmless, it blurs the line between public surveillance and individual privacy. Yes, the camera feeds are publicly accessible, but using them to capture personal moments raises questions about privacy rights in public spaces.

Critics argue that even though there’s no expectation of privacy on public streets, the active use of surveillance for personal purposes can feel intrusive. Imagine walking down the street and realizing that someone could be taking a photo of you without your knowledge. It’s a bit unsettling, isn’t it? This website forces us to confront the broader issue of consent and the ethical use of surveillance technology in our everyday lives.

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Images from website (Traffic Cam Photobooth)

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Security implications of the website

Security experts also have raised concerns about the potential misuse of this website. The ease of access to traffic camera feeds might invite unauthorized surveillance activities, leading to potential breaches of privacy for individuals who unknowingly appear in these feeds. The broader implications of such surveillance technology include the risk of mass data collection and potential misuse by authorities or private entities.

As more data is collected, the potential for breaches increases, posing risks not only to individual privacy but also to public safety. It’s a classic case of technology outpacing regulation, and it highlights the need for clear guidelines and oversight.

Image from website (Traffic Cam Photobooth)

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Public and official reactions to the website

Despite its popularity, with over 10,000 photos taken and 30,000-40,000 visits, the DOT has remained silent on this use of its infrastructure. Kolman suggests that the DOT’s setup inadvertently facilitates such applications, but the lack of an official response leaves room for speculation about future regulatory actions.

Public opinion is divided. Some people love the creative use of technology, while others are concerned about privacy implications. The absence of a formal stance from the DOT highlights the challenges that arise when public infrastructure is used in unexpected ways. As cities grapple with the rapid pace of technological advancement, the need for adaptive policies and regulations becomes increasingly apparent.

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Image from traffic cam (Traffic Cam Photobooth)

The website’s expansion plans

Kolman has expressed interest in expanding the project to other cities and is open to collaborations, indicating a potential for wider adoption. However, this expansion could further complicate privacy and security considerations, as different cities may have varying regulations and public sentiments regarding surveillance.

The potential for open-source collaboration also raises questions about the control and oversight of such technology. As the project grows, it will be essential to engage with local communities and stakeholders to address concerns and ensure that the technology is used responsibly.

Image from traffic cam (Traffic Cam Photobooth)

We reached out to Kolman, who emphasized the site’s commitment to privacy and security. He said, “As a site intended to highlight how our privacy is invaded every day by surveillance cameras, the site is designed to be as safe, privacy-respecting and secure as possible.” He went on to say that as far as the functionality of the website:

1. “No data ever leaves the user’s device. Finding the nearest camera, taking the picture and saving the photo are all done completely locally. Even I, the person running the site, can’t see what pictures people take or where they take them.”

2. “I track nothing besides hits on my home page and how many photos are taken on the Photobooth page. I deliberately built my own solution for this so [that] I would not subject users to an analytics tool like Google Analytics that would be much more invasive.”

Kolman acknowledged concerns regarding potential misuse of the tool, saying, “They fundamentally misunderstand what the tool does and direct their worry at the wrong place. I did not make these cameras public, I do not record any locations, and there is no way to use these cameras to ‘track’ someone unless you already had information about their whereabouts by some other means.”

He added, “You should be uncomfortable with the amount of cameras that exist around the city. The purpose of the site is to draw attention to that sprawling surveillance regime, and if learning about it unnerves you, it is because you are finally paying attention.”

Kolman concluded by saying, “I’m an artist and a developer; I think deeply about these topics, and it’s important to me that this project provides an interesting and engaging gateway to address the serious and omnipresent topic of mass surveillance.”

Kurt’s key takeaways

While it’s fascinating to see how technology can be creatively repurposed, we must also consider the implications of being constantly watched. The ability to capture personal moments using public infrastructure blurs the lines between public and private life, raising important questions about consent and the ethical use of surveillance. As we move forward, it’s crucial to strike a balance between embracing technological innovation and safeguarding our privacy rights. After all, in a world where every street corner might have a camera, it’s worth asking: How much of our personal space are we willing to give up?

Do you believe the convenience and creativity offered by websites like Traffic Cam Photobooth justify the potential invasion of privacy by using public surveillance cameras for personal use? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Astro Bot is the game you buy a PS5 for

Published

4 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Press Room

It is 9PM, and all I want to do is sleep. I barely have the energy to speak, let alone play a video game. But I have a job to do, and it’s reviewing Astro Bot by its release date, so I make a deal with myself to play just two levels, then go to bed…

Five hours later, my face burns from smiling. I’m convinced I could build, then run through, a brick wall. That’s the type of way Astro Bot will make you feel.

Astro Bot, out now on PlayStation 5, is a collect-a-thon platformer. You play as the robot Astro adventuring in space in his PS5-shaped mothership with 300 of his friends — some of them simple bots, others robot-ified versions of famous video game characters. Suddenly, he’s attacked by an unsubtle-as-hell Xbox-green alien monster who trashes his ship and scatters its parts and his 300 friends to far corners of the universe.

Astro Bot is filled with standard platformer tropes, but it pulls off a sense of wonder in their presentation. As you explore galaxies to find your fellow robots and unlock new parts of the game, you’ll find a lot of familiar elements, only to see them executed in quirky and delightful ways. Just about every platformer has an ability that lets you shoot across longer distances, but none of them let you do it by strapping a bulldog to your back.

The bulldog power-up acts like a rocket to propel you across big gaps.

Image: Team Asobi

The different levels Astro explores have themes that you’d expect. There’s a jungle planet, a volcano planet, and worlds of pirates, ghosts, and gardeners. Some worlds require special powers to navigate, and those, too, are pretty standard in function if not in form. The monkey power-up lets you scale walls, while the mouse ability shrinks you down to access tiny spaces. There’s even a Super Mario Sunshine-esque F.L.U.D.D power that uses liquid to move Astro around.

I’m convinced I could build, then run through, a brick wall. That’s the type of way Astro Bot will make you feel

The developers at Team Asobi didn’t reinvent the platforming wheel here, but like any good platformer, it’s the unique ways the powers are used that make them special. Instead of water, that F.L.U.D.D. power-up sucks up a green goo it then spits out to create platforms of grass. I giggled like a toddler using it to defeat a special enemy by literally sucking its green, goopy brains out.

One power-up — which I won’t describe beyond saying it’s really cute since figuring it out is a big part of the fun here — truly captures the essence of Astro Bot. When I first found it, I could not understand it at all. It seemed useless; I felt silly for getting stumped by what had been, up until that point, an incredibly simple game. And unlike with most of my pickups, the game wouldn’t help me. Astro Bot typically displays a little tutorial box for how to use it, but this time, it deliberately left me hanging. Playing a game is like being in a conversation with its developers without the ability to speak directly, and it felt like communication had broken down.

But then I remembered that communication between player and developer is not only what to do but also what to feel. And suddenly, it felt like they were hovering just over my shoulder, holding back their laughter as a dear friend would while they waited for me to get a joke. They’d intentionally held back an explanation because they wanted me to experience the feeling of figuring it out for myself. They wanted me to laugh, like I suspect they did when designing it.

And when I finally got it, the jolt of understanding was so friggin’ powerful that I laughed myself into spontaneous sobbing saying aloud to no one, “Astro Bot, I would die for you.”

He gets by with a little help from his PlayStation friends.

Image: Team Asobi

There are so many moments exactly like that. I thought bots you rescued were simply currency used to advance to the next level, only to realize that in the game’s hub world, they’re your friends putting their very bodies on the line to help you access even more collectibles. Some distinctive PlayStation-themed bots — think one wearing Aloy’s red hair or Kratos’ beard — serve a more special purpose. When you rescue them, they can give you that character’s power and take you to a special level modeled on a game like Horizon Zero Dawn or Uncharted, so detailed that they’ll even include side quests from the original. And I defy you to feel something other than the warmest nostalgia during the final boss fight and credits sequence — I didn’t know just how much emotion a PlayStation Move controller could make me feel.

From my two-hour demo at Summer Game Fest earlier this year, I knew Astro Bot would be something special. It was a simple, joyous little platformer crafted as a celebration of PlayStation’s past. And if that’s all it was, it’d make for a great little pit stop on the 2024 game calendar as we travel toward the bigger, more anticipated releases like Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Echoes of Wisdom, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

But Astro Bot is so much more than a mascot platformer plucked from the late ’90s and retooled for modern audiences and hardware. It is the kind of game that reminds us why video games exist in the first place: love. (Yeah, I know that sounds corny — but I’m serious.) Astro Bot exemplifies the great love that compels us to play, make, write about, and share video games with our friends and family. Even if it will keep you up way past your bedtime.

Technology

4 best ways to save on bills

Published

5 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Press Room

Are you feeling the pinch of those monthly bills? Well, you’re not alone. From internet and cellphone charges to utilities and security expenses, it seems like everyone’s looking for ways to trim the fat from their budget. But here’s the good news: You’ve got more power to slash those costs than you might think.

We’re going to dive into some clever tricks and insider tips to help you save big on your essential services.

Whether you’re dealing with internet monopolies, considering a cellphone switch, navigating utility options or thinking about home security, we’ve got you covered. So, let’s explore how you can keep more money in your pocket without sacrificing the services you need. Ready to become a bill-busting pro? Let’s get started.

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A person cutting a cord. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

1. How to save more money on your internet service bill

Unfortunately, certain companies have a monopoly in particular areas as an internet service provider. In fact, some locations only have one choice of an internet service provider. Where there is more than one provider, use one company’s offer and pricing against the current provider. You can ask your current provider to terminate your service, and they will usually try to keep you as a customer by giving you discounts to lower your bill. Some companies, such as Spectrum, give you deeper discounts if you bundle your services and sign up for additional services, such as mobile or TV services.

While the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has ended, there are still other ways to save on your internet bill.

The Lifeline Program is a federal initiative that offers a monthly discount on phone or internet service for eligible low-income households. Although the discount is smaller than the ACP, it can still help reduce your monthly costs. Additionally, many internet providers offer their own discounted plans for low-income households. Companies like AT&T, Spectrum and Xfinity have programs that provide reduced rates if you meet certain income requirements or participate in federal programs like SNAP or the National School Lunch Program. By exploring these options, you can still find ways to reduce your internet bill and keep more money in your pocket.

A couple trying to save on bills. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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2. How to save more money on your cellphone bill

Gone are the days when you had to keep your cellphone provider if you wanted to keep your mobile phone number. Now, with a surge of new cellphone providers, there is no better time to save.

While it is easiest to stay with your current cellphone provider, it likely will not save you the most money. Most cellphone providers focus their biggest savings on attracting new customers, not their current ones. You can use this to your advantage by moving to a new provider for huge cost savings for nearly identical provisions.

Additionally, some legacy cellphone providers own smaller cellphone providers. For instance, Verizon owns Visible. The cost difference, however, between them is pretty stark, with Verizon often costing upwards of $70 per month, depending on the plan, whereas Visible starts at $25 per month for unlimited talk, text and data.

If you’re looking for affordable cellphone plans, there are several providers that offer budget-friendly options without sacrificing quality. Companies like Consumer Cellular, AT&T, Verizon, Mint Mobile, Visible, Tello, Cricket Wireless, Boost Mobile and US Mobile provide a range of plans to suit different needs and budgets. For example, Mint Mobile offers plans starting at $15 per month, while Visible provides unlimited data for just $25 per month. By exploring these options, you can find a plan that fits your budget and helps you save money on your cellphone bill. Check out the top affordable cellphone plans.

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A person holding a past due notice. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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3. How to save more money on your utility bills

Depending on where you live, some states have deregulated the utility service marketplace, which gives the consumer a great advantage. If your state permits it, you will be able to choose between a variety of companies for your utility services. Most states publish the energy rates across providers at the beginning of the month. You can use this information to either lock down a favorable rate or switch providers.

Extreme temperatures this year have led to higher electricity prices, especially during peak hours. To save money on your electricity bill, consider using less energy, finding out your electric company’s peak hours, programming your thermostat, investing in smart plugs and upgrading to energy-efficient appliances. These strategies can help you reduce your electricity usage and lower your monthly bills, regardless of the season. Check out the 7 best ways to save money on your electricity bill.

An image of a security camera. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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4. How to save more money on your security bills

While there are many security services out there, the most cost-effective option is security systems you can install yourself. If monitoring services are included in the system, make sure to double-check the cost. Unless these systems offer low-cost monitoring services, it could end up costing you a lot more in the long run. Home security camera systems are available from companies such as Vivint, ADT, SimpliSafe and Comcast, complete with monitoring and a variety of packages and financing options. Check out our picks for the best home security systems.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Whether it is your internet or utility bill, there is always an opportunity to save more money. Comparing costs and calling your provider takes a little bit of work, but if you’re willing to make the effort, the savings can really add up.

What strategies have you found most effective in negotiating or managing your bills? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

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Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:

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Technology

The Boeing Starliner’s strange test flight is finally returning to Earth, but it’s empty

Published

11 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Press Room

The Boeing Starliner’s strange test flight is finally returning to Earth, but it’s empty

Boeing, once a major player in space, has suffered a string of setbacks, failures, and legal challenges in recent years that have chipped away its dominance in the space industry. The company’s space unit has been lapped by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and left to watch on the sidelines as other companies have moved ahead with ambitious programs, from sending astronauts to the International Space Station to returning humans to the surface of the Moon.

On Friday, Boeing will try to mend its reputation during an uncrewed test of its Starliner astronaut capsule to the ISS. This will be the second launch for the capsule, coming a year and a half after its first attempt failed to reach the space station. Eighteen months of grueling technical investigations and a string of leadership shake-ups has brought Boeing back to the launch pad for a $410 million do-over that would put it on track for its first launch with humans aboard later this year. SpaceX, Boeing’s rival in NASA’s Commercial Crew program, is far ahead, with three astronaut missions already under its belt.