Flock Has a Big Problem

Our Take

Dylan Schmidt's video title says it plainly: Flock has a big problem. We won't pretend to know every detail he lays out, but the broader point lines up with what we've been documenting for a while — a network of automated license plate readers has quietly spread to poles across nearly every American community, run by a private company with little public oversight and even less accountability when things go wrong.

That's the real issue underneath any single controversy: these cameras aren't just reading plates, they're building a searchable log of where you drive, when, and how often, and that data doesn't always stay where it's supposed to. Whether the "problem" in question is a data breach, a misuse scandal, or law enforcement overreach, it all points back to the same structural flaw — mass surveillance infrastructure got installed in thousands of towns before most residents ever got a say.

We appreciate creators like Schmidt putting a spotlight on Flock's cracks, because public pressure is one of the few things that's actually moved the needle so far. If you want to see how close this surveillance is to your own neighborhood, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back at a city council meeting or beyond, our take-action page has resources to help.