Flock Surveillance

Our Take

Creator Paytabyte lays out the basic problem with Flock Safety's ALPR network in plain terms: these cameras aren't just parked outside big-box stores anymore, they're bolted onto street poles in your neighborhood, quietly building a timestamped record of every car that passes. No warrant, no judge, no real oversight — just a private company selling your city a subscription to watch its own residents.

The video's point about stalking isn't hypothetical scaremongering. Once a searchable, retroactive log of vehicle movement exists, it becomes a tool for anyone with access to misuse — an abusive ex, a corrupt employee, a hacker who breaches the system. Flock has already had incidents where officers or contractors used the network for personal reasons that had nothing to do with public safety. That's the trade-off cities rarely explain to residents before signing the contract: convenience for police, permanent exposure for everyone else.

This is exactly why we built the map — so you can see whether these cameras are already watching your commute — and why we push people toward take-action resources to push back at city council meetings before the next camera goes up. Thanks to Paytabyte for putting a spotlight on this.