States move to hide Automated License Plate Reader data from public view
The short version: Lawmakers are quietly exempting ALPR data from public records laws, letting police hoard plate-scan trails while cutting off the oversight that keeps the surveillance in check.
Our Take
CyberSecurityInPlainEnglish flags a trend we've been tracking with growing alarm: state legislatures carving ALPR data out of public records law, often under the banner of "protecting ongoing investigations" or officer safety. The real effect is simpler — it blinds journalists, defense attorneys, and ordinary citizens to how, where, and how often their movements are being logged by networks like Flock Safety's. Secrecy isn't a side effect of this surveillance infrastructure; it's becoming the point.
EFF's analysis, which the video points to, underscores something we've said since day one: transparency is the only leash on a system built to run without one. When police departments won't disclose audit logs, retention periods, or who's accessing a camera network, the public is left guessing whether these tools are catching stolen cars or being quietly repurposed to track abortion travel, immigration status, or protest attendance. Once that data access goes dark, the accountability conversation is over before it starts.
This is exactly why independent mapping and public pressure matter more than ever. Check our camera map to see what's already watching your community, and head to take-action if you want to push back on secrecy laws before they lock the public out for good.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of CyberSecurityInPlainEnglish, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.