Flock Safety says it will introduce new measures on its nationwide network of surveillance cameras following reports that police used the system to target immigrants and people seeking out-of-state abortions.
Key facts
- Flock Safety's CEO announced new measures intended to curb misuse of its camera network.
- Reports said the system was used to target immigrants or people seeking out-of-state abortions.
- The company's network enables about 20 billion license plate scans every month.
- Flock has expanded its US camera network over nearly a decade.
- The company had previously left safety measures up to customers, many of whom did not turn them on.
Flock Safety, a company that has spent nearly a decade building a nationwide network of license plate reading cameras, is introducing new steps aimed at curbing police abuse of its surveillance system, according to the Guardian. The move follows reports that the technology had been used to target immigrants and people seeking out-of-state abortions.
The company’s chief executive announced the changes after scrutiny over how law enforcement agencies deploy the system. The Guardian reports that Flock’s network allows police to conduct roughly 20 billion license plate scans every month across the United States.
For much of the company’s history, Flock left the decision to activate safety measures up to its customers, the Guardian reports. Many of those organisations did not turn those protections on.
The reports of the system being used against immigrants and people seeking abortions in other states prompted the CEO’s response, according to the Guardian. The full details of the announced measures, and how they will be enforced, are not yet clear from the available reporting.
The scale of Flock’s operation has made it a significant presence in American policing, with cameras gradually installed in communities across the country over the past decade. According to the Guardian, the company’s shift signals a move away from leaving safeguards optional for the agencies that use its technology.
Why it matters
License plate reader networks capture the movements of large numbers of people, raising privacy concerns when the data is used beyond its stated purpose. Reports that such systems were used to target immigrants or people seeking abortions highlight how surveillance infrastructure can affect vulnerable groups, making the company's response a test of accountability in the private surveillance industry.
Frequently asked questions
How many license plate scans does Flock Safety's network perform?
According to the Guardian, Flock Safety's network allows law enforcement to conduct about 20 billion license plate scans every month across the US.
Why is Flock Safety introducing new controls?
The Guardian reports the company's CEO announced the steps after reports that the system was used to target immigrants or people seeking out-of-state abortions.
Were safety measures previously in place?
The company had largely left the decision to turn on safety measures up to its customers, and many of those organizations did not turn them on, according to the Guardian.