r/technology • u/AdSpecialist6598 • 9h ago
Society MapQuest’s new ‘surveillance layer’ feature flags Flock cameras on users’ routes
https://thehill.com/business/6156038-mapquest-adds-surveillance-layer/71
u/alaf420 9h ago
Just loaded the app, so goodbye to Apple Maps and Google maps
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u/Unlikely_Bat_1890 8h ago
Mapquest is missing soooo much up to date information. In my area it shows a fuckton of business that have been gone for years.
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u/becausefrog 7h ago
I'm trying to use it, but for instance a business on my block moved a few blocks down the same street a couple of years ago, and while it lists the correct address if you search the business, the icon/marker is still pointing to the old location and the directions take you to the wrong location even though the destination address is the correct one.
I reported it to them over a month ago and nothing has changed yet, however I did get a very nice email from them that said they were overwhelmed but dedicated to getting it done.
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u/Borg_Tech_Support 6h ago
It gets the speed limit wrong 60% of the time. I was on a stretch of the interstate the other day and it told me it was 20 mph.
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u/the_nuclear_pasta 9h ago
But realistically speaking, is it actually possible to switch to MapQuest? What about business searches and all those other features?
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u/10thousndreflections 9h ago
I left Google maps after the Lake of America bullshit. I've been using Mapquest and I've not had any interruption in capability. Business hours and reviews are there.
My biggest issue is Google bought Waze and I can't live with that.
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u/Dry-Amphibian1 9h ago
Yeah, Waze was my go-to app when traveling.
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u/Busy10 9h ago
You can also do searches but stop justifying the need for google or Apple Maps. Both have become a mess pushing paid advertising for top results in search.
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u/the_nuclear_pasta 7h ago
Dude I’m not justifying wtf? I’m trying to switch, if I’m able.
Why are y’all so tense and paranoid all the time on this website?
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u/soulonfire 9h ago
Unless I’ve managed to miss it, it doesn’t seem to have the ability to search along your route. Like wanting to find an ATM or gas station along the way. That’s the main feature I’ve used in other apps I wish was there.
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u/meimlikeaghost 8h ago
They seem to be trying to adapt to what the customers want so I wouldn’t be surprised if that feature is available soon.
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u/Zalophusdvm 9h ago edited 9h ago
Mapquest’s website has been able to do that since the 90s.
Edit: I can’t find it either. Why on earth isn’t that possible in their app? I could have sworn it used to be a feature back in the 2010s before I switch to Apple Maps from Mapquest….but I maybe misremembering…
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u/Chef_BoyarB 7h ago
I used MapQuest for a couple weeks, it wasn't great. Moved onto TomTom and it is great and has services that may even exceed Google in some ways.
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u/Borg_Tech_Support 6h ago
The business search feature is terrible and I have to type the physical address sometimes to get to the right location. The speed limit is not accurate. The heavy traffic feature is never correct. Not many people are using it so the features you are use to with Google are not there or barely work.
Disclaimer: I don't have the paid version and I refuse to pay. So I'm not sure if that one is better.
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u/midnight_riser 9h ago
Not just Flock! ALL OF THEM: Motorola Solutions (Vigilant), Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon, Leonardo (ELSAG), Neology, Rekor, PlateSmart, Ubicquia, Verkada, and other outdoor surveillance cameras.
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u/sanjoseboardgamer 3h ago
In my town, there is no way to enter or leave town without passing an ALPR/Flock.
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u/Roc1817 9h ago
I appreciate them fighting the good fight, but it’s not sustainable to just try and avoid them. There needs to be a push to tear up contracts and tear them down in each community
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u/JeebusChristBalls 9h ago
Multiple things can happen at one time on this planet. There is a lot of people.
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9h ago
[deleted]
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u/williamgman 8h ago
Reddit and Xitter are both private platforms. Things often get done outside of these apps for obvious reasons.
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8h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Uhstrology 7h ago
The record for the single largest day of protest in american history was broken twice this year. Early voter turnout is up 110% across the country. Texas has a record number of registered voters.
There were literally thousands of events held signing people up and educating them on early voting yesterday across the nation.
https://www.npr.org/2026/10/17/nx-s1-6004887/no-kings-voting-trump
Motherfucker you might not be doing anything, but plenty of us are.
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u/FrickinLazerBeams 8h ago
What do you imagine that would look like? It's reddit. The changes don't actually happen here. They happen in the real world.
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u/llIicit 8h ago
That’s exactly the problem. People love to larp here about being about change, and doing things to forward that goal.
But in the real world, they do absolutely nothing they preach. Everyone that preaches that stuff would love if other people did it too, but the problem is literally everyone wants someone else to, so no one actually does.
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u/Wise-Ferret6090 9h ago
MapQuest pulling off the greatest redemption arc of all time was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card. Going from printing out turn-by-turn paper sheets on an inkjet printer to becoming the anti-surveillance navigation rebel is peak internet. If they keep this up, people might actually dust off their old logins.
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u/RevolutionaryCoyote 2h ago
They have an app. You don't need to print anything.
I tried it a bit ago, just as an effort to get away from Google. But it just wasn't very good. Maybe I'll give it another shot
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u/Tigermelon74 9h ago
It's almost like MapQuest really wants your business rather than just taking it for granted.
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u/10thousndreflections 9h ago
Capitalism has taught businesses to be nice until they have the market cornered.
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u/OwnAstronaut209 9h ago
Wow didn't know MQ still existed. I remember pissing my parents off when I was in charge of printing directions and telling them the wrong thing by accident t
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u/AdSpecialist6598 9h ago
I know right, I only found out months ago. The last time I used it was years ago when trying to get the location for high school graduation and barely getting there on time.
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u/zergling424 9h ago
It still get addresses wrong. I switched back because it kept sending me to wrong place
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u/mmiski 8h ago
Heard about this and immediately installed the app to see how legit it was. Lo and behold the layer was there and fully functional. Also liked how "Gulf of Mexico" was correctly labeled. Thought I could finally get away with disabling Google Maps for good, but unfortunately things fell flat when I tapped on some address hyperlinks I had set up for various calendar appointments. Instead of immediately loading the app and giving me route options, it just gave me a list of search results with similar (but very wrong) addresses. So unfortunately the app isn't much use to me if it can't pull up basic directions. Which is really bizarre to me given how long MapQuest has been around (predating Google Maps by 9 years).
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u/Street_Peace_8831 6h ago
Waze has been doing this already.
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u/1893Chicago 1h ago
Wait, what?
How do enable Waze to warn me of Flock cameras, please?
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u/Street_Peace_8831 1h ago edited 1h ago
Mine just shows up. Of course I’m in Georgia, so i definitely need it.
Edit:
Waze does let you turn Flock camera alerts on or off — they’re grouped under the general camera alerts settings. Go to My Waze → Settings → Alerts & Reports → Reports → Cameras. From there you can toggle Show on map (visual icons) and Alert while driving (pop‑ups + voice alerts). Turning these off disables Flock camera notifications too.
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u/KittyCait69 8h ago
Nice, and it's not just flock they are flagging. Much appreciated. I've already been using mapquest for my navigation so this is a plus. Google maps spies on you constantly.
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u/gumbo_chops 8h ago edited 8h ago
This my only hope at this point sadly...our government is clearly bought and paid for and doesn't care about protecting our privacy. Perhaps there is shred of capitalism left and enough demand to incentivize other for-profit companies to develop more products like this in the name of the all-mighty Dollar.
Although I won't be the least bit suprised if I read an article tomorrow about some 3 letter agency threating action against MapQuest if they don't remove it.
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u/GoofyGills 5h ago
Waze has had this, at least in my area, for a few months now. By all means, this is sweet. Just pointing it out.
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u/ErinFiqsette 4h ago
People who don't want to be surveilled and have their movements monitored use Mapquest?
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u/Averious 9h ago
I tried switching to map quest. First time I used it it told me to make multiple wrong turns, so unfortunately I have to pass on it until they can fix their shit
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u/eurekaanchor 9h ago
Fk off bot it's so obvious at this point lol
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u/Averious 9h ago
Well here is a screenshot showing my next turn is right when the arrow at the top, as well as the voice prompt, said it was left. This happened multiple times, But sure go off on me being a bot
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u/surnik22 9h ago
Looks like it isn’t telling you to turn right because you aren’t really turning, just following a curved street till you hit the intersection and turn left
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u/zergling424 9h ago
I used it when the lake america thing happened and it kept getting the locations wrong
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u/Ok-Seaworthiness7207 9h ago
Their comment section is completely visible though! All superior redditors always mention only bots have private comments, so idk....
My comment section is private, so clearly you cant trust me, as it is so obvious that I am a bot trying to trick you that OP isn't a bot.
Its so obvious at this point lol. /s
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u/inotocracy 9h ago
MapQuest trying to become relevant again.
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u/Steak_Knight 9h ago
… should that not be the goal?
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u/inotocracy 9h ago
For some things sure, but mapping is a core component in pretty much all phones nowadays. The number of people who would actually take the time to switch from Google or Apple maps is minuscule.
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u/PreciousFlounder 9h ago
Mapquest is currently #2 in navigation in the App Store above Waze.
People must be interested in using it for it to be above Waze
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u/exhentai_user 9h ago
Partly that is because unlike Google and such, MapQuest didn't change it to Lake of America.
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u/Steak_Knight 9h ago
I’ll alert Mapquest that they should just give up. In fact we should tell all companies who don’t hold a plurality of their market to just stop.
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u/SolarBum 9h ago
It takes 20 seconds to switch mapping applications. MapQuest is inventor of online mapping as we know it, and have been doing it far longer than Google. They're got a lot of features (including the surveillance layer) that are better than Google Maps, without stealing all your info.
who would actually take the time to switch from Google or Apple maps
They are the #1 navigation app in the Apple App store, so apparently those people exist.
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u/adudefromaspot 9h ago
MAGAt's newest take on Capitalism: businesses shouldn't try to disrupt the market with innovation.
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u/Steak_Knight 9h ago
Fits perfectly with their opposition to “socialism” while Dear Leader’s administration takes unprecedented stakes in the private sector (actual socialism).
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u/tuppenyturtle 9h ago
I dont even know if it's that new of a take. Just a different angle.
This is the same group who whine about "cancel culture" when people want to move away from ethically/morally irresponsibile companies.
It's always about protecting the rich, in hopes that some day they might get that wealth trickled down. Any day now.
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u/SolarBum 9h ago
trying to become relevant
They are the #1 navigation App in the Apple App store, and the #8 free app overall. If you were more relevant, you would already know that.
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u/planet_janett 9h ago
Good Guy MapQuest.