Source: Boing Boing
Law enforcement and 911 dispatchers in multiple jurisdictions have weaponized Flock's automated license plate reader network—ostensibly deployed for criminal investigations—to conduct personal surveillance on ex-partners and romantic interests, exposing a structural vulnerability in how government agencies access mass surveillance infrastructure with minimal oversight. The problem is governance, not engineering: Flock's camera network now covers significant portions of American streets, yet the access controls separating legitimate law enforcement use from personal harassment are inadequate. Any officer with database credentials can become a stalker. Bipartisan opposition to Flock suggests the technology's privacy costs are outpacing its security justifications, forcing a choice about whether ubiquitous street-level surveillance is compatible with basic civil protections.