Flock changes how police can access license plate camera data
The short version: NBC10's Lauren Mayk reports Flock Safety is tweaking its data storage and access rules after mounting privacy backlash, but the core surveillance dragnet stays intact.
Our Take
Credit to NBC10 Philadelphia and reporter Lauren Mayk for pressing on a story most local news still ignores: what actually happens to the license plate data these cameras vacuum up. That Flock is adjusting storage and access policies at all tells you the pressure campaign from residents, journalists, and privacy advocates is working. But read the fine print before celebrating. A policy change written by the vendor, enforceable mostly by the vendor's own conscience, is not the same as a law passed by your city council or state legislature.
This is the pattern we keep seeing nationwide: Flock rolls out a new 'trust' feature or access control only after a scandal, a lawsuit, or a viral investigation forces its hand. Meanwhile the fundamental problem never changes — thousands of cameras logging every plate that passes, in a database any participating agency can query, with retention and audit rules that shift at the company's discretion. Tightening who can search the system after the fact doesn't undo the surveillance architecture already built into your neighborhood.
If you're in the Philadelphia area, this is your cue to find out how many of these cameras are already watching your commute and who your local police department has agreed to share data with. Check our camera map to see what's nearby, and if you think your city needs real guardrails instead of vendor promises, our take-action page has the tools to push for actual policy, not just PR.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of NBC10 Philadelphia, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.