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Alpr

All articles tagged with #alpr

Flock’s surveillance network faces a national reckoning as cities scrap contracts and courts weigh in
politics11 days ago

Flock’s surveillance network faces a national reckoning as cities scrap contracts and courts weigh in

Flock Safety’s automated license plate readers (ALPRs) are facing a wave of cancellations and legal challenges as critics argue the technology enables mass surveillance. While proponents cite crime-fighting benefits, a recent study suggests modest gains in vehicle theft reduction. The backlash is bipartisan, with cities from Los Angeles to Austin terminating contracts, and a federal appeals court is set to hear arguments on the constitutionality of Illinois’s use of the cameras.

via vox.com|
#alpr#flock-safety#police-reform
From Tea to Tags: Americans push back on ALPR surveillance
politics-society23 days ago

From Tea to Tags: Americans push back on ALPR surveillance

A nationwide, bipartisan backlash against automated license plate readers (ALPRs)—including Flock Safety cameras—has grown as critics warn of mass data collection and potential abuse. With over 130,000 ALPRs deployed and more than 5,000 agencies using Flock, incidents where officers abused gathered data (stalking individuals) and lawsuits over data sharing (e.g., ICE) have spurred action. Florida halted ALPR permits on highways in 2026, and activists have damaged systems in at least 36 states. The piece frames the revolt as a modern echo of the Boston Tea Party, arguing for balancing public safety with robust privacy protections, while invoking historical figures like Franklin and Adams to underscore the push for liberty amid surveillance.

via The Conversation|
#alpr#boston-tea-party#civil-liberties
Missouri Sets Guardrails on Flock Cameras and ALPR Tech to Protect Privacy
politics23 days ago

Missouri Sets Guardrails on Flock Cameras and ALPR Tech to Protect Privacy

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order establishing strict safeguards on Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology, including Flock cameras, directing the state Department of Public Safety to craft guardrails for agencies and local law enforcement until a permanent statutory framework is in place. The order requires most license-plate data to be deleted within 30 days, bans sale or sharing of Missouri-generated data, limits ALPR use to legitimate criminal justice and lifesaving purposes, imposes accountability to prevent misuse, and prohibits integrating AI facial recognition with ALPR. Local agencies are encouraged to adopt best practices as lawmakers pursue statutory rules amid ongoing privacy concerns and related investigations.

via KCTV|
#alpr#executive-order#flock-safety
Hackers Leak Flock ALPR System, Revealing How It Tracks Cars and People
technology23 days ago

Hackers Leak Flock ALPR System, Revealing How It Tracks Cars and People

Hackers stole a Flock license-plate reader, copied its storage and recovered an encryption key, exposing on-device detection of people and thousands of images; logs show roughly 50,200 vehicle detections and about 1.6 million images across ~21 days, with plate and vehicle attributes analyzed on Flock's servers and data accessible to a nationwide network of agencies, fueling privacy concerns and prompting some jurisdictions to pause use.

via 404 Media|
#alpr#cybersecurity#flock
When ALPR Logs Become Punchlines: Mass Surveillance Under Scrutiny
technology24 days ago

When ALPR Logs Become Punchlines: Mass Surveillance Under Scrutiny

An EFF analysis of Flock Safety ALPR search logs shows officers often entered unserious or placeholder reasons (like LOL, LMAO, idk) or even mashed the keyboard to justify accessing drivers’ location data, revealing a culture of mass-surveillance abuse across multiple agencies. With thousands of searches logged under vague or nonsensical reasons, and many using “TBD,” the article argues there was little meaningful oversight or constitutional justification. A late-2025 update introduced a dropdown of generic offense categories which further reduces transparency, helping explain a drop in auditable entries. The piece calls for strict data deletion deadlines and a warrant requirement to curb overreach, urging courts and legislators to rein in ALPR surveillance that tracks ordinary people for low-level concerns.

via Electronic Frontier Foundation|
#alpr#civil-liberties#law-enforcement
GTA V mod lets players cash in by destroying virtual ALPR cameras
technology29 days ago

GTA V mod lets players cash in by destroying virtual ALPR cameras

A WIRED piece reports a Grand Theft Auto V mod, Grand Theft Automated License Plate Reader, that places 235 Flock ALPR cameras around Los Santos. Players can smash these cameras for $600 each, with in-game logging and effects on police response, offering a cathartic take on real-world surveillance and Flock’s deployments, which have faced criticism and rollbacks in several states. The mod is framed as commentary, not an endorsement of real-world actions, and comes as GTA VI looms on the horizon.

via WIRED|
#alpr#flock#gta-v
Brand-Switch ALPR: Flock Exit, Axon Expansion Keeps Surveillance in Place
technology1 month ago

Brand-Switch ALPR: Flock Exit, Axon Expansion Keeps Surveillance in Place

Flocks are dropping their ALPR cameras amid backlash, but cities are often switching to Axon, which offers similar license-plate recognition plus livestream video through Outpost cameras and the Fusus AI system. Flock reduced data retention to seven days (max one year) and halted live feeds, while Axon defaults to 30 days with no hard cap. Privacy groups like the EFF and ACLU warn that swapping brands doesn’t fix mass-surveillance concerns and call for stricter warrants and limits.

via Jalopnik|
#alpr#axon#flock
Columbus Pauses Flock ALPR Program Amid Officer Misuse and Trust Concerns
local1 month ago

Columbus Pauses Flock ALPR Program Amid Officer Misuse and Trust Concerns

Columbus Mayor Ginther paused the use of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras after it emerged a 9th precinct officer searched a single plate hundreds of times for personal reasons; the city ordered a third-party audit to identify further misuses, and potential charges if wrongdoing is found. With a majority of City Council open to ending the program, officials stress the importance of public trust alongside public safety as safeguards are heightened and investigations continue in light of a broader national probe into Flock's practices.

via The Columbus Dispatch|
#alpr#columbus#local
Florida orders highway ALPR removal as national surveillance backlash grows
politics1 month ago

Florida orders highway ALPR removal as national surveillance backlash grows

Florida becomes the first state to require the wholesale removal of automated license plate readers from state highway rights-of-way, giving agencies 30 days to remove them, amid privacy concerns and misuse worries; the move reflects a broader national pullback as Texas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Massachusetts and other jurisdictions pause or end ALPR contracts, even as vendors defend the technology for public safety.

via Mashable|
#alpr#florida#law-enforcement
Public Outcry Forces Scrutiny of Flock ALPR Cameras Nationwide
technology1 month ago

Public Outcry Forces Scrutiny of Flock ALPR Cameras Nationwide

Backlash against Flock Safety’s license plate readers has spread across the U.S., with more than 50 jurisdictions canceling or rerouting deployments and states like Florida restricting their use, as privacy and abuse concerns mount. While officials credit the tech with aiding investigations and missing-person cases, critics warn of mass surveillance and potential misuse, including police tracking ex-partners. The debate has drawn bipartisan interest, with governors pausing funding or exploring bans and lawmakers calling for warrants and tighter data rules; a Senate investigation into Flock is underway alongside company safeguards such as seven-day data retention and an “Evidence Mode.”

via ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos|
#alpr#flock-safety#police-abuse
Cities Ditch Flock Safety Contracts at Record Pace Amid Privacy Backlash
technology1 month ago

Cities Ditch Flock Safety Contracts at Record Pace Amid Privacy Backlash

A Bay Area anti-surveillance group reports 214 jurisdictions have dropped Flock Safety’s license-plate readers since 2021, with 93 terminations in August 2026 alone (about three per day). Critics cite runaway surveillance, unwanted data sharing, and high costs; Flock says new partnerships still outpace nonrenewals. The controversy has drawn bipartisan scrutiny from lawmakers, including Sen. Hawley and Gov. DeSantis.

via Ars Technica|
#alpr#contract-cancellations#flock-safety
Backlash Pushes Flock Safety to Seek Privacy Compromise
technology1 month ago

Backlash Pushes Flock Safety to Seek Privacy Compromise

Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley is urging a middle ground on mass surveillance as backlash grows against the company’s automated license plate reader network, which spans more than 120,000 devices used by thousands of law-enforcement agencies. Critics cite misuse and data-sharing concerns, prompting dozens of municipalities to cancel or pause contracts; in response, Flock has tightened policies and reduced default data retention to seven days while touting audits and safeguards. The debate centers on balancing civil liberties with public safety, with activists arguing that reforms don’t go far enough to regulate private surveillance networks that collect granular location data across jurisdictions.

via Yahoo|
#alpr#civil-liberties#flock-safety
Is Your Plate in Flock's Sights? How to Check in Las Vegas
local1 month ago

Is Your Plate in Flock's Sights? How to Check in Las Vegas

As Flock Safety’s license-plate cameras proliferate in the Las Vegas area, HaveIBeenFlocked.com lets people see whether their plate has been searched in the Flock database by querying audit logs. The site relies on publicly available transparency portals and FOIA requests and states it does not store searched license plate numbers. Local officials say the valley has hundreds of Flock and Motorola cameras, plus privately owned ones, giving law enforcement and others access to video data. The article notes ALPR privacy concerns while explaining how HaveIBeenFlocked works and what users can learn from their searches (not actual camera footage, just search activity).

via Las Vegas Review-Journal|
#alpr#flock-safety#las-vegas