About Us
Why this site exists
Flock cameras are presented as a public-safety tool that can assist law enforcement in finding stolen cars and solving crimes, but that's only part of the story. These cameras routinely record people who aren't suspected of anything, create searchable records of where vehicles have been, and give authorized users access to that information. Documented mistakes, misuse, and real harm have already occurred, including cases where law enforcement personnel have abused legitimate access for personal reasons. This site exists to make that side of Flock more visible to the residents of Sonoma County.
Who runs this
I'm Jon. My wife and I have deep roots in Sonoma County, and we've lived here since 2010. We raised two boys who attended Sonoma County schools. I've worked for the government for nearly 30 years, primarily in IT and web development.
When I first heard about Flock cameras, I assumed they worked much like speed or red-light cameras: a vehicle does something wrong, a camera captures it, and someone deals with the violation. I didn't realize that these cameras routinely record vehicles that have done nothing wrong, create searchable records of where those vehicles have been seen, and can make that information available for searches beyond the camera's original location. The more I learned, the more concerned I became about what that means for privacy and for people who have no reason to be under suspicion.
I'm doing this because I think people should know these systems exist and understand how they work in their own communities. I'm a concerned citizen, and this site is my way of doing something about that. It is unfunded and volunteer-run. I have no relationship with any camera vendor or competitor and no affiliation with any advocacy organization. I prefer to keep some things about myself private, and I think that's a reasonable choice, especially when discussing systems that can make other people's movements less private.