'Have I Been Flocked' Researcher Says Over 400 Illinois Agencies Have Surveillance Network Access
The short version: One Chicago suburb's ALPR feed reportedly reaches 400+ Illinois agencies, showing how 'local' Flock data sprawls far beyond any single department's control.
Our Take
Forbes' reporting on this Georgia researcher's public records dig is exactly the kind of story we need more of. Schaumburg PD didn't set out to build a statewide surveillance network — but that's effectively what happened once its ALPR data got hooked into Flock's sharing infrastructure. Four hundred-plus agencies with access means four hundred-plus sets of policies, retention practices, and human judgment calls about who gets to look up your plate history. Nobody voted for that.
This is the recurring pattern with Flock: a small-town council approves cameras for hit-and-runs and stolen cars, and within months the data is flowing to state police, federal task forces, and agencies the original city never heard of. 'Have I Been Flocked'-style research matters because it's often the only way the public learns how far their movements are actually being shared — departments rarely volunteer this.
If you want to see what's watching your own commute, check our camera map, and if your city hasn't disclosed its sharing partners, push for it — here's how to start.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Forbes, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.