New map pinpoints 140K Flock cameras in the US
The community is fighting back.
Image by Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images
- A community map marks more than 140,000 reported Flock camera locations across the US.
- Flock cameras record vehicles and upload searchable license plate data, raising privacy concerns.
- Reports say some law enforcement officers have misused license plate databases to spy on acquaintances.
- The site also maps European plate-recognition cameras, which are described as less intrusive than Flock.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
An interactive map marks over 140,000 Flock locations in the US, as well as similar but less intrusive license plate recognition cameras across Europe.
Flock Camera Locations, a community-reported project via OpenStreetMap contributors, maps thousands of Flock Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) camera locations in the US.
The AI-powered Flock ALPR system has come under intense scrutiny for privacy concerns, as its 120,000 cameras record and track every car that comes into view, capturing even the smallest details, such as bumper stickers and scratches.
The information is then uploaded to a vast searchable database, where it can be matched against a passing car’s license plate number. Anyone with access – and without a warrant – can search where and when the particular car was captured.
At the same time, reports of Flock misuse are increasing, with law enforcement officers caught using extensive databases to spy on people they know, often their romantic interests.
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The website Flock Camera Locations allows users to search for ALPRs by state or find cameras installed in their area.
As concerns over the Flock system grow, privacy activists have developed a number of online tools aimed at tracking its camera locations and helping plan routes that avoid them.
While Flock is available only in the US, the website tracks automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras across Europe. Unlike Flock, the ANPR system only extracts the licence plate number as text data.
There’s no official Flock or ANPR camera map in either the US or Europe, as law enforcement says it would benefit criminals.