Canada to ban the Flipper Zero to stop surge in car thefts::The Canadian government plans to ban the Flipper Zero and similar devices after tagging them as tools thieves can use to steal cars.

    • rtxn@lemmy.worldEnglish
      16·
      10 months ago

      A single-board computer, radio modules, and the appropriate software. Trivial for someone with the technical knowledge. The only thing that made the flipper unique is that it comes pre-packaged.

      • skozzii@lemmy.caEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        Any determined thief will just build their own, or one guy will do it and sell to all the thieves, this is the wrong solution.

    • krigo666@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      10 months ago

      Politicians being stupid and thick, as usual.

      This can be replicated with off-the-shelf components and readily available software. The real issue is the low security of cars.

      Also, a similar device with better capabilities is about to hit the market.

    • agent_flounder@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      10 months ago

      How specific is the law? I can imagine these idiots either…

      • Very specifically banning flipper so now people make a functionally identical device called the reppilf that is totally legal
      • Banning any computing device capable of transmitting radio, thus outlawing all cellphones, laptops, desktops, iot, etc.

      PS: as others said, wouldn’t be super hard to pull off, just a matter of assembling parts. This is why banning tools is almost always fucking stupid and only penalizes those who follow the law.

      • golden_zealot@lemmy.mlEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        This is how every licensed gun owner in Canada has felt for years. You can go read how they word those laws to get a good idea of how they would go about wording this one. It’s not great.