Automatic license plate readers do more harm than good

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Flock Safety's FreeForm feature allows users to perform plain-language natural language searches across a national network of cameras spanning multiple states.

Flock Safety's Condor cameras can detect, track, and zoom in on individual people in live video feeds without using facial recognition.

Civil liberties groups including the ACLU, EFF, and Institute for Justice are litigating whether blanket ALPR camera surveillance requires a Fourth Amendment warrant.

President Donald Trump stated on September 13, 2026, that he supports Flock cameras for law enforcement crime prevention despite civil rights infringement concerns.

Southeast Michigan communities including Eastpointe, Milford, Madison Heights, and Bedford Township canceled their contracts with Flock Safety over privacy and misuse concerns.

Inkster Mayor Byron Nolen announced a 10-year contract expanding Flock technology in Inkster, Michigan, to include 20 plate readers, 5 video cameras, 48 gunshot detectors, and a drone.

Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley stated at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 on October 14, 2026, that privacy risks are a necessary trade-off for accountability and crime reduction.

Flock Safety cameras automatically scan and record license plates, vehicle brand, color, model, and physical characteristics such as dents and bumper stickers.

A third-party company called VIDIZMO has offered software to add facial recognition capabilities to Flock Safety cameras.

Local police officers used Flock camera searches to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement and to track a woman who self-administered an abortion in Texas.

Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley stated that ALPR surveillance technology helps police departments address severe staffing shortages and uncompleted job positions.

Flock Safety conducted staff layoffs following growing national privacy backlash and canceled municipal contracts.

An August 2026 Washington Post investigation found at least 50 law enforcement officers were accused or charged with misusing license plate readers, with Flock systems involved in 46 cases.

An AP-NORC poll showed that 64 percent of American adults believe artificial intelligence technology is developing too quickly.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that using DeepSeek may result in the transfer of sensitive data belonging to U.S. government employees or vendors to the Chinese government.

Former Supervisor Gordon Mar authored a San Francisco Democratic Party resolution that declared opposition to Flock license-plate cameras.

State Senator Scott Wiener authored California AI safety legislation, secured state funding for anti-Asian hate initiatives, capped insulin at $35 monthly, and expanded acupuncture Medi-Cal coverage.

Prioritizing rapid AI development over safety regulations does more harm than good

Congress should ban federal agencies from using automatic license plate readers

Donald Trump and tech executives, including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang, signed a voluntary "White House Accord on Super Intelligence" last month, establishing non-binding safety measures and self-regulation for artificial intelligence development