NY lawmakers eye new rules for Flock cameras amid privacy concerns
The short version: New York lawmakers are finally scrutinizing Flock Safety's ALPR network, a small but overdue step toward accountability.
Our Take
Credit to WCAX Channel 3 News for putting a spotlight on something we've been tracking for a while: state lawmakers waking up to the fact that Flock's camera networks have spread across New York with almost no legislative guardrails. These systems quietly log every plate that passes, build location histories on ordinary drivers, and hand that data to police departments and, in some cases, outside agencies — all without a warrant or a vote from the people being watched.
The fact that "new rules" are even being discussed is a tacit admission that the current setup is the Wild West. Flock markets itself to small towns as a crime-fighting convenience, but the back end is a nationwide surveillance dragnet that most residents never consented to and most town boards never fully understood before signing a contract. Lawmakers catching up now is better than never, but it also shows how far ahead the industry got before anyone in government asked basic questions about retention, access, and abuse.
If you live in New York, or anywhere else these cameras are popping up, don't wait on Albany to do the heavy lifting. Check our map to see what's already watching your streets, and use our take-action guide to push your local council for transparency before the next contract renewal locks you in for another year.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WCAX Channel 3 News, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.