Terror-veillance posters at LA airport use CNN's "iReport" neologism

(Update: Fixed it for ya!)

I noticed these new iWatchLA LAPD posters around the parking garage at Los Angeles International Airport this week. I thought it was funny that they're using the neologism "iReport," which has become CNN's trademark catchword for viewer-submitted amateur video. I'm not suggesting CNN is in cahoots with the LAPD (or Apple) over the use of "i" before other words, just getting a chuckle out of this otherwise creepy poster.

I think the only thing really suspicious in that poster inset at left is that the designer chose a stock photo of a guy standing next to a subway train. As if we had decent public transport in Los Angeles! Flickr photoset link.

• [MooseDesign]

  I’m sorry I can’t grapple with the larger implications of the poster because the graphic design is just so very horrible. It apparently puts patriotism and the “iWatch” brand ahead of the intent. That’s just a failure of messaging all around, assuming the goal was any kind of actual efficacy and not just some odd pandering.

  • [Tynam]

    …assuming the goal was any kind of actual efficacy and not just some odd pandering.

    Why on earth would you assume that?

• [Anonymous]

  The design alone makes my eyes want to fall out of my head (defeating the purpose of asking me to watch things and perhaps say things.) May I suggest partnering with a local design school and begging for a little help?

• [jimkirk]

  A while ago I was walking by a school and saw what appeared to be a discarded paper cup from a well known purveyor of coffee based products. But who knows what nefarious diabolical device might be concealed within? It was next to a school, think of the children! Better call The Authorities.

  A brown paper bag. Litter? Or is it filled with ANTHRAX? I wouldn’t touch it, call it in.

  A soda bottle on the side of the road, or an Improvised Explosive Device? I’m no expert, better be safe than sorry. 1-877-A-THREAT.

• [MB]

  These go with the iWatch video the LAPD put out last October.

• [joshhaglund]

  As a user of LA’s public transportation, I’d say it qualifies as decent. Ain’t no magic pod conveying you from start to destination but it gets me where I need to go. Even with upcoming increases, fares are cheaper than other major US cities.

  the recent addition of bus routes to google maps makes it easier too.

• [theawesomerobot]

  My god, the design is terrible. With the massive backlog of propaganda out there in the world how could you possibly produce something this terrible looking.

• [AirPillo]

  As if we had decent public transport in Los Angeles!

  The light rail system isn’t that bad.

  • [GlenBlank]

    Preemptive bitching about LA’s transit system is SOP for hipsters who want to maintain their ‘green cred’ by insisting that everyone should take transit instead of driving, but need an excuse for the fact that they themselves don’t do so.

    Like the Onion says, 98 Percent Of U.S. Commuters Favor Public Transportation For Others

    Entirely aside from that, I’m not sure how a poster with a picture of a subway somehow implies that “we have decent mass transport.”

    We do have a subway, and some people do use it, and the authorities do get twitchy about unattended bags left lying about in its stations.

    But, hey, musn’t pass up an opportunity to bitch about how inadequate LA’s transit system is.

• [Otter]

  To fix this poster, just add text:

  brown person
  everybody panic

• [Pantograph]

  Isn’t it about time for a new vowel? In the ’90s everything was e-something, then we had a decade of iThings… I predict that the time has come for “y”

  yBook, yPhone, yWatch? yBother?

  • [Brainspore]

    oSnap!

    • [Felton]

      uThink?

  • [Felton]

    yZass. ;-)

• [signsofrain]

  See something, say something = a hop step and a jump away from “report crimethink”

• [Anonymous]

  After losing the iPhone 4 prototype, Apple started plastering these around work and then town. They’re hoping the next time an iGadget is lost, you’ll call them first.

• [Davidget]

  http://boingboing.net/style/reportthis.png

• [Anonymous]

  iwish that ipeople stopped ikilling the iEnglish ilanguage.

• [ill lich]

  “Walking in L.A.? Only a nobody walks in L.A.”

• [Xeni Jardin]

  @Davidget, Oh, as if that’s anywhere near similar. We’re not going to send you to fucking Guantanamo, we’re just keeping an eye out for spam or ad hominem attacks and the like. Obvious troll is obvious.

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    We’re not going to send you to fucking Guantanamo

    I’ve been meaning to talk to you about upgrading the system tools.

  • [Davidget]

    I understand the difference Xeni!

    It makes me cry that you didn’t think that was a little bit funny. =[

    • [Xeni Jardin]

      Sorry, it’s funny!

      • [Davidget]

        If it makes a difference, I read http://boingboing.net/style/reportthis.png in my head as the single phrase “Report this,” in Bruce Campbell’s voice.

        There was no troll intent. <3

        • [Xeni Jardin]

          Now, I LOL.

        • [Davidget]

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpUyb37CFT4

• [dross1260]

  iSEEWHATYADIDTHERE

• [Church]

  iSue

  –sent from my iPhone

• [Teller]

  What we need to nurture is a more Compliant Society.

  kWATCH, kREPORT, kNOPHOTOS, kARRESTME, kHOPE.