Flock Safety’s Surveillance Technology Sparks Debate

Flock Safety, a company that provides surveillance equipment, collaborates with over 5,000 law enforcement agencies across 6,000 communities. Their solar-powered cameras function as license plate readers, gathering data including license numbers, car make and models, and features like bumper stickers. Supporters claim these cameras assist in solving crimes. Critics express concerns that the data might be misused for tracking, impacting privacy and oversight.

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs remarked, “They’re collecting data actively, using AI to capture vehicle details like make, model, and color. This data is then retained for at least 30 days in a searchable database, shifting the traditional concept of license plate readers.”

Garrett Langley, the founder, initiated the company motivated by crime rates in Atlanta. In an April TED talk, he noted, “Crime felt too easy to escape. I developed a license plate-reading camera to counter this.”

Locating Flock Cameras

Flock reports nearly 100,000 cameras across more than 6,000 communities in 49 states. However, a precise list of locations isn’t publicly available. DeFlock aims to bring awareness to these readers and their potential privacy threats. They offer a crowd-sourced map showing alleged locations of Flock cameras using volunteer input and OpenStreetMap community data. Nexstar hasn’t independently verified these locations.

The map indicates not only Flock cameras but also those from other tech companies. Although the use of these cameras has increased, opposition has been rising. Several city councils have opted to remove or oppose Flock cameras. Certain jurisdictions are establishing safeguards, like San Jose which limits data retention to 30 days and restricts camera placements near sensitive locations.