Are Smart Cities Becoming Surveillance Cities?
The short version: Michael S Gibson's video asks whether 'smart city' tech is just surveillance infrastructure rebranded, and the ALPR evidence says yes.
Our Take
Michael S Gibson's video puts its finger on something we talk about constantly: the language of 'smart cities' is doing a lot of work to make mass surveillance sound like progress. AI cameras, license plate readers, and networked street lights get pitched as efficiency upgrades, but what's actually being built is a permanent, searchable record of where everyone drives, parks, and walks. Credit to Gibson for connecting those dots in one place instead of letting each piece get sold separately to city councils.
That's exactly how Flock Safety and its ALPR competitors have expanded so fast — one quiet procurement at a time, with little public debate about data retention, who gets access, or how long footage sits in a database waiting for a subpoena, a breach, or just a curious cop with a grudge. 'Smart' infrastructure doesn't ask permission before it starts logging your movements, and once the cameras go up, they rarely come down.
If this video got you thinking about what's watching your own neighborhood, don't stop at wondering — check our map to see what's already been deployed near you, then use our take-action resources to push back before 'smart city' becomes just another word for surveillance city.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Michael S Gibson, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.