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This is why people are covering Flock cameras #privacy #flock #protest

A Faster PC · 3 days ago

The short version: A Faster PC's short video captures why frustrated residents are masking Flock ALPR cameras, framing it as pushback against unchecked license plate tracking.

Our Take

Credit to A Faster PC for putting a human face on a trend we've been tracking for a while now: people climbing poles or draping bags over Flock Safety cameras because they're tired of being treated as suspects just for driving down their own street. The video doesn't need to dig deep into the data-sharing fine print to make its point land — the imagery of a covered camera says plenty about how little trust these systems have earned in the communities they're installed in.

That frustration is the real story here. Flock markets its ALPR network as a public-safety tool, but the practical reality is a nationwide database logging where you drive, when, and how often, often with little transparency about who can access that data or how long it's kept. Covering a camera is a blunt, visible act of protest, but it also highlights a quieter problem: most people don't even know these devices are watching them until they notice one bolted to a signal pole. Check our map to see how many are already logging plates in your area.

Protest tactics like this grab attention, but lasting change comes from public pressure on city councils and police departments that sign these contracts with little oversight. If this video got you thinking about what's quietly going on in your own neighborhood, our take-action page has concrete steps for pushing back the right way — through policy, not just duct tape.

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