Eugen Rochko
Executive Strategy & Product Advisor, Founder of @Mastodon. Film photography, prog metal, Dota 2. Likes all things analog.
Executive Strategy & Product Advisor, Founder of @Mastodon. Film photography, prog metal, Dota 2. Likes all things analog.
A startup is putting military-style drones in high school ceilings. Ceiling-mounted. Charging. Waiting. And when something happens, a pilot in Austin, Texas, decides whether to deploy pepper gel on your kid's school. I'm not saying the problem isn't real. It absolutely is. But read that back.... in schools. We've taken a Ukrainian battlefield tactic against Russian soldiers and ported it to Deltona High School in Florida. The co-founder literally said the idea came from watching drone videos of the war in Ukraine. The chief pilot described it as "cheating in a video game after you die." These are children.
Here's what's not in the headline:
🔒 The drones use an encrypted connection — but the article notes they're potentially vulnerable to cyberattack. A compromised drone in a crowded hallway isn't a security tool; it's a weapon pointed in the wrong direction.
⚖️ Mithril reserves the right to act independently during an attack, without waiting for law enforcement. A private company operating remotely is making use-of-force decisions at a school.
💰 Florida and Georgia approved $500K+ each for this. A group of Texas parents raised $200K more. That's real money going to ceiling drones instead of mental health services, counselors, or de-escalation programs.
The ACLU said it plainly: when force becomes a zero-risk remote action, it gets overused. Axon tried a Taser drone for schools in 2022, and its own ethics board killed it. Mithril is picking up where that got dropped.
I teach cybersecurity. I've spent years in boardrooms helping organizations think through risk. And the risk calculus here isn't just about whether the drone works. It's about what we're normalizing when we turn schools into drone-monitored combat zones and call it progress.
"This is the future," said the sheriff's captain.
I hope not.
https://www.wsj.com/business/a-startup-is-supplying-drones-to-high-schools-a7800ade
#SchoolSafety #Cybersecurity #Leadership #security #privacy #cloud #infosec
Joy Mastodon caught some sun at the beach, between light rain-showers today. #plushtodon #MendocinoCoast
https://shop.joinmastodon.org/products/mastodon-plushie
Sunday morning vibes #catsofmastodon #caturday #cats
It was true. #grickledoodle #chameleon #copy #camouflage #cartoon #art #drawing #funny #humor
Record turnout, landslide victory for the people of Hungary!
Congratulations!
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c2d8zw2d3rkt
#news #EUPol #hungary #HungarianElections #elections #voting
RE: https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@eniko/116392906798713909
Having lived through both (and the book bans, Chinese products, vaccines, food additives, video games, rap, non-English speakers, fucking other people's family BBQs, ect ect) it's all the same thing. It's always the same thing, (rich/white) people blaming something else instead of their shitty abusive parenting and the harmful status quo they depend on to explain why their abused and hurting kids are abused and hurting.
you guys!
ms. wizard found this while thrifting and brought it home for me. i love it so hard! she may as well give up on getting me anymore gifts, she's never gonna be able to top this one.
#lordpercival getting in a few poses while I make the bed. Can't help himself, looking so cute! #cats #catsofMastodon #catsofFediverse #caturday #tuxedocat
Your weekly Cato (Catoday!)
#Cats #CatsOfMastodon #Caturday
Just read a study that noted, “Unvaccinated residents showed higher hazards for transitioning to COVID death.” I am not sure that I've seen “dying” framed in such a delicate way.
“Is he dying, doctor?”
“No, he is merely transitioning to death.”
Seems I only drop in here on #caturday - oh well, it is the best day of the week!
Finn: OMG - BIRBS!
#CatsOfMastodon #gingercat
Kyo would like to bring some floof and tuft to your #caturday
