Detecting Surveillance with ESP32 #shorts

Our Take

STS Technologies LLC's short video demos an ESP32 microcontroller rigged up to sniff out surveillance gear in the field — in this case tied to their FlockYou product line, built specifically to flag ALPR cameras like the ones Flock Safety bolts onto utility poles in thousands of neighborhoods. We can't verify the technical claims in a 60-second clip, but the concept matters: off-the-shelf hardware is now cheap and accessible enough that regular citizens can build their own detection tools instead of waiting for cities to disclose where cameras are hiding.

That's the real story here. For years, ALPR deployment has happened in the dark — no public notice, no opt-out, just a quiet contract between a police department and a surveillance vendor. Tools like this flip the power dynamic a little, giving drivers a way to know when they're being logged. Whether or not this specific gadget is foolproof, the push toward grassroots detection is a healthy response to an industry that depends on people not noticing.

If you want to see what's already been documented in your area, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back on secretive ALPR contracts in your town, our take-action resources are a good place to start.