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(KRON) Multiple crosswalk buttons were hacked in Redwood City, Palo Alto and Menlo Park in California over the weekend to play audio mocking Big Tech CEOs Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk.
Videos of the altered crosswalk buttons were widely shared on social media. A video obtained by affiliate KRON shows an affected crosswalk playing one of the messages at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and El Camino Real in Redwood City.
“Hi, this is Mark Zuckerberg, but real ones call me ‘The Zuck,’” the recording states. “You know, it’s normal to feel uncomfortable or even violated as we forcefully insert AI into every facet of your conscious experience. And I just want to assure you, you don’t need to worry. Because there’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop it. Anyway, see ya.”
Another video of a hacked crosswalk button at Florence and University in Palo Alto delivered a faux message from Elon Musk when pushed.
“Hi, this is Elon Musk,” the recording said. “Welcome to Palo Alto, the home of Tesla engineering. You know they say money can’t buy happiness and, yeah, okay. I guess that’s true. God knows I’ve tried. But it can buy a Cybertruck, and that’s pretty sick, right?”
At least 12 intersections were hacked with the messages in Palo Alto, city spokesperson Meghan Horrigan-Taylor told KRON. The City of Palo Alto first noticed the issue Saturday morning. However, the signals may have been tampered with Friday.
City staff in Palo Alto workers have disabled the audio features of the affected crosswalks until repairs are made. KRON reporter Jack Molmud confirms that crosswalk-button audio is also disabled at affected intersections in Redwood City. Aside from the audio issues, crosswalks and traffic signals are working normally in the affected cities.
“Motorists are reminded to always exercise caution around pedestrians,” Horrigan-Taylor said.
KRON has reached out to Menlo Park and Redwood City for more information about the hack, but did not immediately receive a response.