Detect Flock ALPR Cameras with ESP32 #shorts
The short version: STS Technologies LLC demos an ESP32-based gadget that claims to sniff out Flock Safety ALPR cameras, adding a DIY layer to the fight for surveillance transparency.
Our Take
Credit where it's due: STS Technologies LLC is tackling the ALPR problem from a different angle than most of us — hardware. Their short demo shows an ESP32 microcontroller allegedly flagging the presence of Flock Safety cameras, sold as part of their "FlockYou" awareness line. Whether or not this exact detection method holds up under scrutiny, the instinct behind it is the right one: people want to know when they're being watched, and right now the burden is entirely on citizens to figure that out for themselves.
That's the real story here. Flock doesn't publish a public, verifiable list of every camera it deploys, and local governments rarely advertise the full scope of their ALPR contracts. So a cottage industry of detectors, scanners, and community mapping projects has sprung up to fill that gap. It's a patchwork solution to a problem that shouldn't exist in a democracy — the public should not need a soldering iron to know where the government's cameras are pointed.
If you want a lower-tech but community-verified way to see what's nearby, check our camera map, built from reports submitted by people in your area. And if you're ready to push back on ALPR expansion where you live, our take-action page has concrete steps for getting involved at the local level.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of STS Technologies LLC, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.