Topic # Privacy General privacy analysis and civil liberties commentary. [Privacy ×](https://flock-truth.com/articles?sort=newest) [Reset](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) **24** articles · page 1 of 2 · [RSS](https://flock-truth.com/feed.xml) Dayton 24/7 Now (WKEF) · Jenilee Borek, WKRC · September 22, 2026 ## [Local city council unanimously votes to end contract with Flock amid privacy concerns](https://dayton247now.com/news/local/monroe-city-council-votes-end-flock-safety-contract-amid-privacy-concerns-license-plate-readers-tech-technology-surveillance-backlash-private-cost-price-recording-safety-government-cincinnati) dayton247now.com Monroe, Ohio council members voted unanimously to terminate the city's Flock Safety contract and deactivate all 23 license plate reading cameras. The city had approved a two-year contract in 2024 at a cost of $149,950. Residents spoke on both sides, with some citing a digital dragnet and others arguing plates in public view carry no privacy expectation. Council members noted voters could restore the program later. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Contracts & cost](https://flock-truth.com/topic/contracts-cost) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- Indiana Daily Student · Zoe Reed · September 17, 2026 ## [City Council discusses affordable housing overhaul, introduces license plate reader ban](https://www.idsnews.com/article/2026/09/city-council-discusses-affordable-housing-overhaul-introduces-license-plate-reader-ban) idsnews.com The Bloomington City Council introduced Ordinance 2026-22, which would bar the city and its agents from acquiring or using automated license plate reader technology and from sharing surveillance camera data with third parties. The measure follows a March 2026 resolution on ALPR transparency, the city's April decision not to renew its Flock Safety contract after an investigation, and Monroe County's July termination of its own Flock contract. A vote is planned Oct. 14. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Contracts & cost](https://flock-truth.com/topic/contracts-cost) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [Laws & policy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/legislation) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- Seehafer News · September 17, 2026 ## [Three More Cities End Flock Partnerships](https://www.seehafernews.com/2026/09/17/three-more-cities-end-flock-partnerships/) seehafernews.com Waukesha, Oconomowoc, and Racine each voted to end their contracts with Flock Safety's automated license plate reader program. Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson said the technology assists in solving crimes but that public trust and transparency matter as well. The report notes other departments in Wisconsin are reviewing privacy protections and vendor practices tied to automated camera systems. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- KFOX · Paulina Carr · September 11, 2026 ## [El Paso City Council to vote Tuesday on removing Flock cameras](https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/el-paso-city-council-to-vote-tuesday-on-removing-flock-cameras) kfoxtv.com El Paso City Council is set to vote on directing the city manager to remove all Flock license plate reader cameras from city-controlled property within 60 days, and on a second item requiring council approval for any future ALPR contracts. The city's 150 cameras were funded by the state Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, and the police department halted use after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a funding pause amid misuse and privacy concerns. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Contracts & cost](https://flock-truth.com/topic/contracts-cost) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- CBS Austin · Stephanie Gonzalez · September 10, 2026 ## [Liberty Hill City Council votes unanimously to end Flock Safety contract](https://cbsaustin.com/newsletter-daily/liberty-hill-city-council-votes-unanimously-to-end-flock-safety-contract) cbsaustin.com The Liberty Hill, Texas city council voted 7-0 to terminate its Flock Safety agreement, bar renewal in October, remove cameras under city jurisdiction and avoid future mass surveillance technology. Council members cited concerns over how license plate data is captured, stored and shared. Bastrop, Leander, Manor and Pflugerville have recently ended or moved to end Flock use, and Austin and San Marcos stopped in 2025. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Data sharing](https://flock-truth.com/topic/data-sharing) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- KBTX · Alex Weister · September 9, 2026 ## [Bastrop City Council votes to terminate Flock contract, prevent similar cameras in the future](https://www.kbtx.com/2026/09/09/bastrop-city-council-votes-terminate-flock-contract-prevent-similar-cameras-future/) kbtx.com Bastrop, Texas, city council voted to immediately end its contract with Flock Safety and to bar future automated license plate reader contracts in the city. Residents had pushed for removal after the cameras were covered the prior week. The report notes Texas Gov. Greg Abbott paused funding for the cameras and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst called for a ban, with College Station scheduled to vote September 24. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [Laws & policy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/legislation) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- WALB · September 8, 2026 ## [Flock worker calls police on ANF chief investigator filming public camera installation](https://www.walb.com/2026/09/08/flock-worker-calls-police-anf-chief-investigator-filming-public-camera-installation/) walb.com Atlanta News First reported that a Flock Safety installer called 911 after investigative reporter Brendan Keefe filmed a camera being upgraded on a public street in Milton, Georgia, leading to a 17-minute traffic stop by three police units. A separate June call brought police to YouTube creators filming outside a Flock distribution center. Flock said staff may contact police over safety concerns and barred media from its customer conference. [Abuse & misuse](https://flock-truth.com/topic/abuse-misuse) [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Data retention](https://flock-truth.com/topic/retention) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) [Transparency & records](https://flock-truth.com/topic/transparency) --- The Salt Lake Tribune · The Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board · September 5, 2026 ## [Tribune editorial: Salt Lake City should have strict privacy rules for license plate readers](https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/editorial/2026/09/05/tribune-editorial-slc-needs-strict/) sltrib.com The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board argues that Salt Lake City should adopt strict privacy rules for automated license plate readers, writing that such surveillance is only tolerable if the public can closely watch the watchers. The piece frames oversight and accountability as conditions for the city's use of the technology. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Laws & policy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/legislation) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) [Transparency & records](https://flock-truth.com/topic/transparency) --- KCUR · Max Quinn · August 27, 2026 ## [Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley launches investigation into Flock Safety data usage](https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2026-08-27/missouri-sen-josh-hawley-flock-safety-data-usage) kcur.org Sen. Josh Hawley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, sent a letter to Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley demanding documents on data safeguards by Sept. 8. Hawley cited a St. Charles County officer who ran Flock searches for personal reasons, plus alleged abuse in Wisconsin, Florida and California. He noted Flock reports more than 120,000 cameras and 20 billion monthly vehicle scans. [Abuse & misuse](https://flock-truth.com/topic/abuse-misuse) [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Data sharing](https://flock-truth.com/topic/data-sharing) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) [Transparency & records](https://flock-truth.com/topic/transparency) --- Sebastopol Times · Julie Zigoris · August 26, 2026 ## [The debate around Flock cameras intensifies in Sonoma County](https://www.sebastopoltimes.com/p/the-debate-around-flock-cameras-intensifies) sebastopoltimes.com A Penngrove resident's petition demanding removal of Flock license plate cameras in Sonoma County gathered 214 signatures, citing surveillance and data-sharing concerns. A Sebastopol councilmember opposed the cameras, referencing ICE. A Sheriff's Department spokesperson said data is kept 30 days, is not linked to the DMV, involves no facial recognition, and is audited, crediting the cameras with aiding three homicide investigations in fiscal year 2025-26. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Data retention](https://flock-truth.com/topic/retention) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [Our County](https://flock-truth.com/topic/local) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- NBC News · Kevin Collier and Tavleen Tarrant · August 21, 2026 ## [Flock camera vandals say privacy reforms aren’t enough: ‘The changes are bull----’](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/flock-safety-vandals-say-companys-privacy-changes-arent-enough-rcna260463) nbcnews.com Flock Safety announced reforms on Aug. 13, including shorter data retention and new oversight, following a wave of activist vandalism against its nationwide network of surveillance cameras. Activists targeting the cameras say the changes do not address their concerns. The report notes that some communities have persuaded local governments to cancel Flock contracts while others renew each year. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Data retention](https://flock-truth.com/topic/retention) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- CBS Evening News · Jason Allen · August 21, 2026 ## [Flock camera sabotage grows amid privacy concerns](https://youtu.be/L626QXVqGwA?si=YkUIJOvyOLqMGjj2) youtu.be According to the video description, cities across the country are unplugging Flock cameras used to record traffic and other violations as privacy concerns grow. The segment, reported by Jason Allen for CBS Evening News, also refers to sabotage of the camera units. No further detail is available in the posted text. [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) [Video](https://flock-truth.com/topic/video) --- WIRED · Dhruv Mehrotra · August 19, 2026 ## [Flock Has a Powerful New AI Tool for Police. We Got Its Code](https://www.wired.com/story/flock-safety-os-investigate/) wired.com WIRED reconstructed code Flock Safety served from its own login pages, describing an AI tool called OS Investigate that ships with 69 prewritten prompts and 45 data tools. The prompts let officers find drivers by movement patterns, identify vehicle associates, and search by physical description, drawing on plate scans, arrest records, dispatch logs, and commercial identity databases. Flock says the product is still in development. [AI video analytics](https://flock-truth.com/topic/ai-analytics) [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) [Warrantless searches](https://flock-truth.com/topic/no-warrant) --- ACLU · August 4, 2026 ## [Fight Creepy ALPR Cameras ("Get The Flock Out")](https://www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/get-the-flock-out) aclu.org The ACLU's campaign page against ALPR deployment, with an organizing toolkit for residents seeking to end local contracts. It puts the Flock network at roughly 120,000 cameras, states that fewer than one percent of scanned vehicles connect to a crime, and catalogs uses by federal immigration agents and against critics of police departments. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [Immigration enforcement](https://flock-truth.com/topic/immigration) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- NorCal Public Media · June 4, 2026 ## [As license plate readers expand, North Bay communities debate the meaning of public safety](https://norcalpublicmedia.org/20260604101181/news-feed/as-license-plate-readers-expand-north-bay-communities-debate-the-meaning-of-public-safety) norcalpublicmedia.org NorCal Public Media reports on the widening North Bay argument over automated license plate readers, covering how cities in and around Sonoma County have weighed police claims about solved cases against residents' objections to continuous vehicle tracking. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Does it work?](https://flock-truth.com/topic/effectiveness) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [Our County](https://flock-truth.com/topic/local) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- Electronic Frontier Foundation · Matthew Guariglia · March 26, 2026 ## [Traffic Violation! License Plate Reader Mission Creep Is Already Here](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/03/traffic-violation-license-plate-reader-mission-creep-already-here) eff.org Georgia State Patrol cited a motorcyclist in December 2025 for holding a phone, with the ticket reading "CAPTURED ON FLOCK CAMERA." Flock has said publicly that its ALPR system is not used for traffic enforcement, but its partner program now lists six traffic-enforcement technology companies, and public records show speed cameras connected to its network. [Abuse & misuse](https://flock-truth.com/topic/abuse-misuse) [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) [Transparency & records](https://flock-truth.com/topic/transparency) --- Sonoma Valley Sun · Larry Barnett · February 13, 2026 ## [Cameras in Sonoma Are Watching You](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/13/cameras-in-sonoma-are-watching-you/) sonomasun.com A detailed account of the 16 ALPR cameras installed around the City of Sonoma's perimeter in 2023 for roughly $50,000. The cameras record plate numbers, vehicle color and type, and whether a plate is present. Police Chief Brandon Cutting, one of three certified administrators, says federal agencies cannot reach the data and that outside requests require administrator approval and are logged. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Data retention](https://flock-truth.com/topic/retention) [Data sharing](https://flock-truth.com/topic/data-sharing) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [Our County](https://flock-truth.com/topic/local) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) [Transparency & records](https://flock-truth.com/topic/transparency) --- WHRO · Toby Cox · February 11, 2026 ## [A federal judge ruled Norfolk's Flock surveillance cameras don't invade people's privacy – yet](https://www.whro.org/business-growth/2026-02-11/a-federal-judge-ruled-norfolks-flock-surveillance-cameras-dont-invade-peoples-privacy-yet) whro.org Judge Mark Davis granted summary judgment to Norfolk on 27 January 2026, holding that the city's 176 Flock cameras and 21-day retention window do not amount to an unconstitutional search. He warned the analysis could change as systems expand, writing that in Norfolk "the answer is: not today." The plaintiffs, represented by the Institute for Justice, plan to appeal. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Courts & lawsuits](https://flock-truth.com/topic/legal) [Data retention](https://flock-truth.com/topic/retention) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) [Warrantless searches](https://flock-truth.com/topic/no-warrant) --- The Press Democrat · January 9, 2026 ## [Public safety must-have or threat to civil liberties? Debate over Flock license plate reader cameras has taken hold in North Bay](https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/01/09/flock-cameras-public-safety-bay-area/) pressdemocrat.com The Press Democrat surveys Flock deployments across the North Bay and finds Santa Rosa running the largest network in the region: 129 cameras with four more awaiting installation, under two contracts worth $421,650 and $897,999 in state and federal money, on a 30-day retention window. Healdsburg and Rohnert Park operate 26 and 23 cameras respectively. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Community pushback](https://flock-truth.com/topic/community-response) [Contracts & cost](https://flock-truth.com/topic/contracts-cost) [Data retention](https://flock-truth.com/topic/retention) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [Our County](https://flock-truth.com/topic/local) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- Malwarebytes Labs · Matt Burgess · November 20, 2025 ## [What the Flock is happening with license plate readers?](https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/privacy/2025/11/what-the-flock-is-happening-with-license-plate-readers) malwarebytes.com An overview of how the Flock network reached well over 100,000 cameras across more than 4,000 cities, roughly one camera per 4,000 people. It explains the default 30-day retention window, how flagged records escape it, and the volunteer projects that have grown up to map deployments, including DeFlock and Have I Been Flocked. [Article](https://flock-truth.com/topic/article) [Data retention](https://flock-truth.com/topic/retention) [Flock Safety](https://flock-truth.com/topic/flock-safety) [License plate readers](https://flock-truth.com/topic/alpr) [National](https://flock-truth.com/topic/national) [Privacy](https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy) --- _Machine readable version of https://flock-truth.com/topic/privacy. The interactive map and article filters are HTML only._