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.

  • Corroded
    link
    fedilink
    English
    311 months ago

    How hard would it be to make a similar device?

    • @rtxn
      link
      English
      1611 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.

      • Corroded
        link
        fedilink
        English
        711 months ago

        The uniformity is also nice. Lots of tutorials targetting it

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        1
        edit-2
        11 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
      link
      English
      8
      edit-2
      11 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.

      • Corroded
        link
        fedilink
        English
        211 months ago

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

        What’s it called?

    • @agent_flounder
      link
      English
      2
      edit-2
      11 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.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        211 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.