Mastodawn

J4ck 3d ago

@alice (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

WTF?! I'm running out of places I can shop.

Rachel Rawlings 3d ago

@alice They also backed away from their DEI programs after Trump took office. I haven't shopped there in 14 months now, and go to a local Ace franchise instead.

(I also won't park anywhere near one. They started putting up portable parking lot cameras about three years ago (iirc), but I only recently learned they were flock devices.)

@linuxandyarn @alice

keep a critical eye on your local Ace hardware. mine stocked black rifle coffee in 2022. I found out there were 1 lb coffee bags everywhere

@coolcalmcollected that's fucking gross.

@linuxandyarn

@alice @linuxandyarn

they were already sus with the "no masking" sign on the door

Rachel Rawlings 3d ago

@coolcalmcollected @alice I haven't noticed any coffee at the one I go to (but lots of travel mugs and thermoses), and shop masked all the time.

Searching the Ace website I see "my" store has Green Mountain K-Cups, but other stores in the area have Black Rifle. So franchises can make their own choices, but I guess Ace does distribute it nationally to those chodes who choose to stock it. 😞

@linuxandyarn
that's interesting information. i'm in VT so that tells me the owner specifically ordered black rifle when green mountain is right here in Burlington. amazing

@alice

@linuxandyarn More likely, it's like Subway, where local franchisees may shop from a number of approved vendors.

Rachel Rawlings 2d ago

@wesdym I didn't know Subway did that; I thought it was more like KFC or McDonald's where everything still comes from a single supply chain.

But if that were the case with Ace, they probably wouldn't be shown on the Ace website as well. Subway doesn't give you a chance to see which stores have Boar's Head or Dietz & Watson.

@linuxandyarn When I ran a Subway, we had two vendors to choose from for branded products we HAD to carry, but we could pick other stuff as we pleased. I had a local produce vendor, for example. I expect Ace is similar. Branded products would come from only a few vendors, and you have to carry at least some. The national site probably is not fully binding on locals. (Check the fine print.)

@coolcalmcollected fuck that; I mask everywhere.

@linuxandyarn

@alice @linuxandyarn

It didn't stop me from wearing a mask. as an undercover shit stirrer, I was desperately waiting for one of the employees to give me a problem.

@coolcalmcollected same.

@linuxandyarn

Rachel Rawlings 3d ago

@coolcalmcollected @alice When I have to shop, I know I'll never find "perfect" except in the rarest of cases. But I try to take a "harm reduction" attitude.

contranym 3d ago

@coolcalmcollected @linuxandyarn @alice yeah, our local ace is also reactionary in multiple ways.

@coolcalmcollected BRC has, hilariously, pissed off many conservatives because they have a DEI initiative. (Or had, I don't know. I always hated them anyway, so I don't care. But it's hilarious to me when conservatives attack each other.)

lin11c 3d ago

@alice
Where the hell can one go to buy hardware supplies? Only thing near me is Home Depot. There are a few small hardware stores left but they just have the bascis. It's sick!

@lin11c yeah, Home Deport is using Flock in their lots too.

lin11c 3d ago

@alice
They are a fascist supporting corporation so I want to boycott but occasionally I need stuff. Total monopoly.

@lin11c yeah, I was boycotting Home Depot (and still am), but I thought Lowe's was okay.

Guess it's back to the local hardware shop. They're more expensive, but the cute guy who worked there asked me out, so there's that 💁🏼‍♀️

lin11c 3d ago

@alice
Oh, that sounds like a win win!! 😀

The Great Llama

2d ago

@lin11c @alice
HD and Lowe's both suck. Meanwhile, I have a local alternative... And the owner is openly, vocally MAGA. 😑

Can I just buy a fucking 2x4 from a nonfascist?

@TheGreatLlama @lin11c @alice

George B 2d ago

It takes a tool to sell a tool apparently

lin11c 2d ago

@TheGreatLlama @alice
OMG Seriously? 😆 JFC! Well our new head of DHS is a plumber so I guess par for the course. 🤬 No law enforcement or legal expertise whatsoever. I'm sorry but I am so tired right now. What a sick joke it all is. Yet Congress does nothing.

k3ym𖺀 3d ago

@alice afik home depot uses flock as well

@k3ym0 yup.

@alice There is only one hardware store.

Mungen Cakes ✅3d ago

@alice For instance, say you have problems with urine collection putting your billion dollar program in jeopardy, not to mention the poor sanitation. Copeland will have what you need.

Jay Elbey 3d ago

@alice
Menard's is Gov. Tim Walz go-to home supply store.

(Check local availability...)

WombatDhampir 3d ago

@JayElbey @alice I live in the Midwest, Menard's is conservative too. We used to have Fleet Farm, but they got bought out by a private equity firm and have declined in quality ever since.

Darkas Vim 3d ago

@alice Next Menard's will be donating to the KKK superpac. Coporations suck.

@Darkasvim I've never seen a Menard's, but corporations do certainly suck.

Darkas Vim 3d ago

@alice I think their footprint is more in the Midwest. Think Big Lots and Lowe's smooshed together. That's Menards.

@alice GUU says that 95% of senior corp employees donated to GOP, 5% to Dems, but the company itself donated 0%.

BedastGPT 3d ago

@alice Every time I've seen/heard someone recommend Lowe's because Home Depot is doing their fascism thing, I've had to correct them that Lowe's is in on it to.

Funny enough, my local Lowe's has had Flock cameras pointed at their parking lot for a good while now, and last time I was around there, they were deploying what looked like Flock's new people watching cameras. (If you weren't aware, that's a thing)

However, my local Home Depot has zero Flock cameras, at least externally, I assume because their landlord disallows them. That's not to say whether they've been cooperating with ICE though.

Humphrey Archer 3d ago

@alice
Ugh

I am already boycotting Home Depot and Ace

Coach Spore Diesel 3d ago

@screwturn @alice

Oh god, Ace too?!?! I missed that one.

@springdiesel @screwturn @alice

BlueDot 2d ago

Ace was my fallback. What have they done?

Humphrey Archer 2d ago

@BlueDot

Maybe I need to review that.
I was under the impression that they were anti-DEI and had dismantled their commitment to it, but I see now that they made a statement that this was false, and that they are still committed to DEI

@springdiesel @alice

@screwturn Ace HQ has scaled back DEI, but local stores are independent franchises, and vary a lot on this front. Goods Unite US says that the parent company (Ace Hardware) donates 45% / 55% D/R, which is not ideal, but more balanced than many companies. That reflects only the parent company, not locals franchises. GUU also says that's 100% senior (corp) employees, and 0% company donation.

Xenotime, Librarian of Æther

3d ago

@alice I believe Home Depot has been associated with flock (or a similar entity) & ice

@xeno yes, they have.

Longspeak 3d ago

@alice @xeno I go to McLendon's. Please no-one reveal anything horrible about them.

@alice FFS!

@alice 🤑

@alice FYI, this link is not working in all browsers, no idea why.

Failed for me in Brave, Chromium, Konqueror, LibreWolf, Tor

Worked in FF, but it's pretty shitty.

More, the actual content makes this claim, but provides no evidence for it.

@alice I'm working on independently validating the claim. 404 Media says this, too, but much of their article was behind a paywall. The only link above that was to a Muckrack link of a 173-page document listing 1036 APLRs and their 'owners', in which neither 'Lowe' nor 'Home Depot' appear even once.

@wesdym I can confirm that in Seattle, Lowe's, Home Depot, and Fred Meyer's have Flock ALPRs in their parking lots—I see them every time I pass by.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-01/surveillance-company-flock-safety-los-angeles

@alice Flowing Date cites the 404 Media article, so that's a dead end, unless I want to pay (which I don't).

LA Times DOES make this claim, and as they are a highly credible source, I consider that sufficient validation.

According to some other sources, these companies use APLRs to catch thieves.

Surveillance company Flock generates controversy, and L.A. customers

Other cities have ended their relationships with Flock Safety over its ties to the federal government and concerns about cybersecurity and privacy. But connections in the L.A. area endure.

Los Angeles Times

@wesdym I can provide a firsthand account. My local Lowe's has at least one Flock ALPR tower in their parking lot.

@alice That's one location, and Lowe's has at least 1748 locations. (Maybe up to 2112; depends on the source.) I've long pointed out that proximity is not proof, as these companies are often tenants rather than owners. A Lowe's near me has at least one APLR on the drive into their lot, but I don't believe they own the land where it is.

At the same time, that doesn't prove the opposite, either: Lowe's could easily ask their landlord to do it, and I expect they'd agree in most cases.

@alice 2/ As a legal asst, I'm keen to verify claims through the kind of evidence that would hold up in court, and a web page saying something is not proof. Neither were some other sources I found while investigating the claim.

BUT: LA Times asserts this as fact, and that's good enough for me. They're a highly credible source. So I'm confident that the claim is true: These two companies widely partner with Flock to have these cameras on or near their properties.

@wesdym see my response here where I looked up the locations for you and posted the results along with photos and descriptions: https://lgbtqia.space/@alice/116343024579680117

🅰🅻🅸🅲🅴 (🌈🦄) (@[email protected])

Attached: 3 images @[email protected] I looked up all the Lowe's and Home Depots near Seattle, and every one has multiple Flock cameras. https://deflock.org/map

LGBTQIA.Space

@alice I don't follow unexplained links, sorry.

I know the 'mic drop' is considered cool, but it's not. If you want me to look at something, tell me what it is and why I should.

@wesdym you come across as rather antagonistic, and I'm beginning to think your replies are disingenuous and just here to waste my time.

I feel I've answered all of your points to a sufficient degree for most people, and included sources.

If it came across as a "mic drop" to link to a reply...of mine...to you...that pointed to more evidence supporting my point, that's probably because I'm done trying to convince you.

@wesdym I looked up all the Lowe's and Home Depots near Seattle, and every one has multiple Flock cameras.

https://deflock.org/map

Official Kakistocracy Jester 🪓2d ago

@alice Can confirm. Last I looked, the only Flock cameras in my whole state were at Lowe’s parking lots.

The Return of Kozeshi 2d ago

@alice
Someone should tow a bunch of these cameras to the White House so they can record real crimes

LukefromDC 2d ago

@alice Why not put clay pigeons up where the cameras are now, and haul the flock cameras to the skeet range? Flock camera, clay pigeon, what's the difference?