Flock Security cameras expand surveillance beyond license plates
Original: Flock cameras track more than your license plate, and they're spreading fast
Why This Matters
Widespread ALPR deployment raises critical privacy and civil liberties concerns as surveillance infrastructure becomes increasingly difficult to remove from communities.
Flock Security's automated license plate readers and AI cameras have proliferated across the United States, with over 100,000 units installed nationwide. The technology tracks vehicles and individuals using AI-powered natural language searches, raising privacy concerns.
Flock Security cameras are AI-powered surveillance devices that have rapidly expanded across the United States. While commonly referred to as automated license plate readers (ALPRs), their capabilities extend far beyond license plate recognition. The cameras can identify vehicles using descriptive searches such as "green sedan with American flag bumper sticker" or "pickup truck with paint scratches and dirt bike," even without visible license plates. Flock Security operates small computers running a modified version of Android that wirelessly transmit footage to a database where AI catalogs and indexes all content. The company contracts with cities, towns, neighborhoods, and businesses, offering not only ALPRs but also AI security cameras, mobile security trailers, and quadcopter drones. Users can search the system using natural language queries to locate matching footage. According to the report, over 100,000 ALPRs are now installed nationwide, with the vast majority from Flock. The company has faced significant criticism regarding security vulnerabilities, documented misuse by law enforcement officers, AI malfunctions leading to false arrests of innocent people, and the difficulty of removing systems once installed in communities.