The trouble with Flock cameras is the surveillance system’s architecture, not just some of its users

The architecture of automated license plate readers turns local cameras into a far-reaching surveillance network that can be accessed by agencies that never purchased the devices.

By: Henry F. Fradella, Arizona State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 1, 2026

Words: 1,343

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 3 days ago

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By Henry F. Fradella, Arizona State University

Wherever Marci Bakely went, her ex-boyfriend seemed to know. When the Georgia single mother drove to the grocery store or a date, he often texted within minutes.

According to a Washington Post investigation, Bakely’s ex-boyfriend, Braselton Police Chief Michael Steffman, searched her license plates and those of her teenage daughter roughly 600 times through Flock Safety, a company that makes and operates networks of automated license plate readers, …

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