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You may not see them, but they see you. #Flock cameras are everywhere and people are fighting back!

Omar Villafranca · 1 month ago

The short version: Omar Villafranca's report captures the quiet spread of Flock ALPR cameras and the growing public pushback against them.

Our Take

Omar Villafranca's segment gets at something we harp on constantly: these cameras aren't hiding, you've just stopped noticing them. Flock's whole pitch to cities is that the hardware blends into the background — a nondescript pole, a solar panel, maybe a flag decal — while quietly logging every plate that passes, building a searchable record of where you drive, when, and how often. The title says it plainly: you may not see them, but they see you. That asymmetry is the problem.

What's encouraging is the second half of that headline — people are fighting back. We're seeing it in city council meetings where residents ask pointed questions about retention periods and who gets access to the data, in local journalists filing records requests, and in communities pushing back on no-bid contracts that install this stuff without a public vote. Villafranca's reporting adds to a growing body of local coverage showing this isn't a fringe concern; it's bipartisan, it's grassroots, and it's happening in red counties and blue cities alike.

If this video made you look twice at that pole on your corner, don't stop there. Check our camera map to see what's already been documented near you, and head to our take-action page for concrete steps — public records requests, council meeting talking points, and model policies — to push back in your own town.

This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Omar Villafranca, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.