FLOCK CAMERAS - MASS SURVEILLANCE

Our Take

Matt Upham's channel usually digs into tech and coding, so it's worth paying attention when someone with that technical lens turns a camera on Flock Safety. These systems aren't just cameras snapping photos — they're networked databases stitching together location data on ordinary drivers, searchable by thousands of police agencies and, increasingly, federal partners. When people who understand how software and data pipelines actually work start sounding the alarm, it tends to carry more weight than another op-ed from a privacy advocate.

The core problem Flock presents isn't hypothetical misuse by a rogue cop — it's the architecture itself. A system built to log every passing vehicle, retain that data, and share it across jurisdictions is a surveillance infrastructure first and a public safety tool second. That distinction matters because infrastructure doesn't go away when the political mood shifts; it just waits for the next administration, agency, or data broker to make use of it.

We appreciate Upham putting his technical credibility behind this issue and adding another voice to the growing chorus of skepticism. If you want to see whether this infrastructure has already landed in your neighborhood, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back, our take-action page has concrete steps for getting involved locally.