July 4th Privacy Checklist: 8 Things to Do Before This Weekend [2026]

Our Take

Mading Thok's rundown of eight privacy moves to make before the holiday weekend is a solid, practical nudge — the kind of checklist everyone should run through more than once a year. Locking down your phone, trimming app permissions, and thinking twice about what you broadcast are all good habits, especially during a weekend when roads, parking lots, and small towns fill up with extra cameras watching extra traffic.

But here's the gap most privacy checklists miss: you can lock your phone down perfectly and still get swept into a permanent location database every time you drive to a cookout. Flock Safety's ALPR cameras aren't optional apps you can delete — they're bolted to poles on public roads, logging your plate, time, and location whether you consent or not. That's the kind of 'paper and effects' exposure the Fourth Amendment was written to guard against, and it doesn't show up in a phone settings menu.

So treat Thok's checklist as step one, not the whole list. Step two is knowing where these cameras actually are in your area — check our map — and step three is pushing back on their deployment locally. Head over to take action for ways to do that before the next long weekend rolls around.