‘Deflocking’ campaign having real-world consequences in Washington
The short version: KING 5 Seattle reports Covington ALPR cameras are being damaged as 'deflocking' anger over Flock Safety surveillance and immigration enforcement fears boils over.
Our Take
When local news starts covering vandalized license plate readers as a real public safety story, that's a sign the backlash to Flock Safety's camera network has moved well past online grumbling. Credit to KING 5 Seattle for documenting how Covington residents' anger over privacy and immigration data-sharing is now translating into direct, physical pushback against the hardware itself.
We don't endorse property destruction, but we understand exactly where the frustration comes from. These cameras were installed with little public debate, feed into databases that can be queried by outside agencies including ICE, and give communities almost no real say in whether they want to be tracked every time they drive to work, church, or a protest. When people feel locked out of the decision-making process, some will eventually take matters into their own hands.
The better fix is transparency and accountability, not sabotage. Find out if Flock cameras are watching your neighborhood on our camera map, and if you're ready to push back the right way, check our take-action resources for pushing your city council to reconsider these contracts.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of KING 5 Seattle, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.