Techtonic with Mark Hurst is a weekly radio show from WFMU about technology, how it's affecting us, and what we can do about it.

Mar 17, 2025: Ben Snyder, author, "Spy Plane"

A few years ago, planes outfitted with spy cameras flew over the city of Baltimore, recording citizens as they walked or drove around town. Ben Snyder discusses his book “Spy Plane: Inside Baltimore’s Surveillance Experiment,” about how this was supposed to solve murder cases, and why it ultimately failed.

Show Notes



• Spy Plane: Inside Baltimore’s Surveillance Experiment, by Ben Snyder

• Miami Beach Police Will Once Again Use Drones to Monitor Spring Breakers (Miami New Times, March 13, 2025): “Drones capturing real-time footage and potentially recording people’s conversations are a major overstep and threat to privacy to people coming to enjoy Miami Beach on their spring break, as well as residents of the city.” . . . “We shouldn’t allow drones to become omnipresent in American life — but signs suggest that police departments are gravitating toward their routine use over gatherings.”
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Mar 17, 2025