Share:
3 ways to protect your privacy and swerve surveillance
Not long ago, I heard a familiar buzz while swimming in my backyard pool. Sure enough, a drone hovered overhead and quickly vanished when I shooed it away with my hand. That’s how I got the idea for this post.
The legality of drone surveillance varies by country and state, but if the drone is flying on your private property and recording you without your consent, call the police. It’s a violation of your privacy.
It’s hard to learn who owns a drone
In my case, it flew out of my eyesight in seconds. Had my iPhone been within reach, I would’ve taken a photo of it. Some drones have their registration numbers visible, usually in case the owner loses sight of it.
The Federal Aviation Administration maintains a database of registered drone owners, but they’ve made it harder to search unless you’re a registered drone owner yourself. To search for a drone using its FAA registration number, try a third-party website like ReclaimDrone.
The things you should never do to a drone
There are effective, perfectly legal ways to avoid surveillance. There are also a few ways that are illegal for private citizens.
The FAA legally protects drones from being:
- Shot at: Firing a gun into the sky is dangerous and illegal. Just don’t do it.
- Interfered with physically: This includes lasers and other objects.
- Disabled or otherwise tampered with: Using a jammer and hacking are criminal acts.
Now that you know what you can’t do to a drone when you find one in the wild, let’s cover some additional ways to protect your privacy from those eyes in the sky — and on the ground.
Carry an umbrella
It’s a cheap and practical way to protect your privacy. In rainy or extra-sunny weather, it’s a no-brainer. You might get some strange looks, but who cares?
Get one now while you’re thinking about it. This tiny umbrella is the size of a cellphone so you can keep it in your pocket. This one is bigger but will hold up better in wind and rain.
Wear an invisibility cloak
Researchers at the University of Maryland found patterned sweaters can thwart AI systems. No kidding, busy clothing can fool the algorithms enough that they see you as an object, not a person.
Opt out when you can …
… Like at the airport. This isn’t necessarily drone-related, but let’s also limit facial recognition. If the airport workers ask to take your pic, stand away from the camera, present your ID and say something like, “I opt out of biometrics. I want the standard verification process.” I did this and got a strange look from the TSA agent. But it’s not like I’m inviting him to my BBQ, ever.
🌳 Ya know, getting my drone stuck in a tree isn’t the worst thing that happened to me today. But it’s definitely up there.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Tags: Apple iPhone, camera, numbers, privacy, Surveillance, verification
Share: