Anger mounts in US over vast network of car license plate cameras

Dawn reports that surveillance startup Flock has deployed over one hundred thousand license plate reader cameras across the United States in just a few years, and the rollout has triggered an intense grassroots backlash. The cameras capture vehicle data and license plates — stored for up to a month and shareable across state lines — allowing police to track Americans without warrants. The Washington Post documented at least fifty police officers misusing the system to surveil romantic partners, exes, and even women who had abortions. Activists have responded by systematically disabling the cameras in recent weeks, with a Facebook group called DeFlock America now exceeding six hundred thousand members. The resistance is proving effective: over seventy municipalities have already dropped their Flock contracts.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton