Advertisement
Engadget
Why you can trust us

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.

Hackers made a Detroit interstate billboard play a porn scene

Nobody was injured during the incident.

Drivers in Auburn Hills, Michigan, got a heck of a surprise last Saturday night when an electronic billboard starting playing porn. The billboard, located alongside I-75 North between University Drive and highway M-59 in Auburn Hills, began playing the X-rated movie not long before midnight. It was shut down after 20 minutes, when police made contact with the sign's owner, Triple Communications.

Unlike previous billboard shockers, this was definitely not a paid-for stunt. Auburn Hills Police Department has since released a photograph and video of two men suspected of breaking into the billboard's control room and hacking its computer. If found, the pair could face a possible penalty of 90 days in jail, and/or a $500 fine for promoting pornography, as well as potential burglary charges for forcing entry to the building.

Reports in local media have repeatedly noted how dangerous the incident was, with many rubbernecking drivers slowing down to gawp and film the scene, creating numerous opportunities for accidents. Princess Leia, one of the adult film actresses featured in the movie, told Vice she was relieved that no-one was hurt. "It is my sincere hope that this will open a larger public discussion regarding the safety of electronic billboards," she said.