# Road signs in Encinitas, California hacked to show explicit messages and images

- Date: 2025-11
- Location: Encinitas, California
- Type: Screen hijack
- Sector: Road sign

Several variable message signs the city had installed to encourage safer driving were reprogrammed to display profanity, hate speech and explicit images. A resident said the signs were easy to hack and that messages were being sent to the signs. FOX 5 San Diego and KUSI reported it around November 20, 2025.

## Sources

- [Hacked road signs in Southern California city display explicit messages](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/hacked-road-signs-southern-california-005221958.html) (Yahoo News (FOX 5 San Diego and KUSI))
- [Prankster hacked electronic road sign to display rude, obscene messages](https://www.kpbs.org/news/living/2025/11/26/prankster-hacked-electronic-road-sign-to-display-rude-obscene-messages) (KPBS)
- [Encinitas street safety signs hacked](https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/encinitas-street-safety-signs-hacked/3935596/) (NBC 7 San Diego)

Page: https://signagelist.org/incidents/2025-11-road-signs-in-encinitas-california-hacked-to/