this post was submitted on 14 Sep 2025
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So I had researched it a while ago and don't recall having found anything effective and non-suspicious to protect from public camera mass survaillence in cities and the like. Is there anything that is a good option for that yet, and if so, could you point me toward it?

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[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Handheld scanning infrared laser, 5 to 50 watts Basically laser-clean the sensor out of existence

[–] grahamja@reddthat.com 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

In the past, individuals have cut down red light and speed cameras using power saws. Are you suggesting a laser would be easier to just burn the pixels of the camera? Wouldn't that be dangerous for people around you?

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 points 20 hours ago

Yes, it is dangerous even the reflections off the camera could be dangerous. This requires the same awareness of others as handling a laser cleaner.
Here is an article about using a pulse laser to blind a camera sensor
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics/articles/10.3389/fphy.2024.1345859/full

[–] TheCoralReefsAreDying69@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

5 to 50 watts

And blinding everyone around you too!

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 day ago (2 children)

You're going to need a rather tight beam to hit that camera and it will only for milliseconds. It would take really bad luck to hit someone continuously long enough through a reflection (drastic reduction in power level by then) to damage their eyesight, plus camera optics are not very reflective of infrared as they need it for night vision, so they're especially sensitive. But yes, this should be treated with the seriousness of a gun.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You know cameras have an IR filter during the day right.

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Even a 1 watt laser will still have enough power after the filter to knock that sensor's clock right out.
Or just use a red laser, they're even cheaper, if less discrete.

[–] twice_hatch@midwest.social 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

At that point I'd just spray paint them. Much safer, easy to buy in cash, and I assume it costs a lot to send someone to clean it up

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sure if you have a drone but it's not nearly as discreet as a fiber+ lens in your sleeve

[–] lime@feddit.nu 3 points 1 day ago

they do record, so it will be quite obvious which person suddenly starts looking like a star in the footage.

[–] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

How are you going to spray paint a camera 20ft up?

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

Drone, paintball gun, chainsaw, fire

[–] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 1 points 16 hours ago

Yeah if that isnt noticed or jammed and traced back to you. Infra lasers are the way to do it with little "noise" and cant be jammed.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

where do i find me one of those

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

electronics and industrial supply places, you can rip it off a diode based laser cutter but they're very chonk, if you're handy, you'd get just the diodes, lens and then make your own PCB with powersupply. You need adjustable because the light has to be in focus at the distance between you and the camera or else it will be to diffuse to disable the sensor, both too short and too far. You don't really need a galvo head in this case just mount the pcb on something that can randomnly vibrate the laser in a small radius at the effective distance. You won't be able to hit the camera sensor steady, you need to paint over it randomnly, with the right focus it will work even on rare occasionnal hits since those sensor are very sensitive to laser light

[–] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Just add adruino with a distance sensing laser to point it it first to have it adjust focal length of the dangerous laser.

Yes that makes sense, the range finding sensor from an old cell phone should do nicely.
You can 3d print a geared lens barrel for small M12 lens quite easily.
Just map the values to real gear position and bingo's your uncle !