Why Americans are tearing down Flock surveillance cameras

Our Take

Hard Lens Media's latest piece puts a spotlight on something we've been tracking for a while: ordinary people taking matters into their own hands when it comes to Flock Safety cameras popping up on their streets. We don't endorse vandalism, and neither does the law, but the underlying frustration the video captures is real and it's spreading. People are angry that a private company's camera network can quietly log their movements without a warrant, a vote, or often even a public notice.

That anger isn't irrational. Flock's ALPR systems have expanded into thousands of neighborhoods with little transparency about retention policies, data sharing with federal agencies, or who ultimately has access to the log of everywhere your car has been. When citizens feel like the only options are silent compliance or grabbing a wrench, that's a sign the normal channels of accountability — city council meetings, public records requests, procurement oversight — have failed them.

We'd rather see that energy funneled into organized pressure: showing up to council meetings, filing records requests, and pushing for ordinances that rein in these networks before they metastasize further. Credit to Hard Lens Media for putting a camera on this growing backlash. If you want to see what's been installed near you, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back the right way, our take-action page has the tools to do it without risking a lawsuit of your own.