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FOUND: Flock - What They Never Told You

‘So Much Creepier’: Woman’s Town Installs AI-Powered Traffic Cameras. Then She Realizes What Else They’re Tracking

"Flock cameras are all over my small town..."

Motor1

This free tool is helping drivers avoid automatic license plate readers —as fears grow around 'intrusive' new devices that could track your phone, AirPod and smartwatch data

Automatic license plate readers are getting worryingly smart, so drivers and privacy advocates are fighting back with a free tool called DeFlock.

TechRadar

This California city just approved the use of Flock drones as first responders, but residents are worried about 'militarization and surveillance'

Stockton, California, just invested millions of dollars in Flock drones to act as first responders.

TechRadar

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Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on ‘egregious violations’ of privacy

City governments across the country have suspended use of Flock Safety cameras over concerns of data being used for immigration enforcement.

Fortune

Angry tiny Texas town council member proposes total ban on cellular and GPS devices in protest over AI dispute — says 'Let’s take Bandera back to 1880' after town votes to dump AI-powered license plate reader

A town councilor proposes banning all technology in a small Texas town after they lose vote on keeping Flock AI cameras running in the area.

Tom’s Hardware

Unauthorized ICE ‘wellness checks’ by police at Ohio schools draw outrage

Community members and rights groups criticize police arriving at Cincinnati schools on behalf of ICE

The Guardian - US

Why My Texas Town Took Action Against Flock Cameras

In the age of mass surveillance, local leaders like me must defend due process and protect our communities.

Texas Observer

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Police are using surveillance tech to stalk love interests. Dystopia, here we come

The tech company Flock has 80,000 cameras across the US – and a report finds some officers are taking advantage

The Guardian - US

As License Plate Readers Expand in Texas, Privacy Advocates Are Fighting Back

The Kyle City Council voted to apply for more state grant money for Flock Safety cameras despite a string of local-level contract cancellations of the booming surveillance company’s services.

Texas Observer

San Jose's 'Creepy' and 'Deeply Intrusive' ALPR Camera System Is Unconstitutional, a New Lawsuit Says

The city has created a network of nearly 500 cameras that routinely monitor innocent people as they go about their daily lives.

Reason

Row over ‘virtual gated community’ AI surveillance plan in Toronto neighbourhood

Rosedale residents considering car licence plate-scanning Flock system in bid to tackle property crime

The Guardian - UK

‘Creepy surveillance’: why some cities are shutting down Flock cameras amid privacy concerns

Some cities are cutting ties with firm that provides license plate reader cameras, others are signing new contracts and many are still looking for their footing

The Guardian - US

Cameras have quietly appeared in thousands of US cities – now, their integration with AI is sounding alarms

For decades, cars dictated urban planning in the United States.

The Conversation

Cities join Amazon in ending their partnership with license-plate reader Flock following Super Bowl Ad. ‘Your privacy is totally fine,’ says Ring CEO

"It was a shame" that people reacted that way to Ring's Super Bowl ad, says Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff. The company won't use Flock, but the reaction means people want safer neighborhoods.

Fortune

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The Guardian - US

Top US body-camera maker reports record revenue amid Trump immigration crackdown

Axon sees ‘major opportunities’ as Congress proposes $20m for ICE body cameras but data privacy experts warn of risks

International Business Times UK

ICE Can Reportedly Access Flock Surveillance Cameras — Now Americans Are Destroying Them

As Flock's licence plate surveillance network spreads across thousands of US communities and shares data with ICE, residents from Oregon to Virginia are sawing down cameras, pressuring city councils and testing how far they can push back against a quiet expansion of state and corporate power.

The Guardian - US

The problem with doorbell cams: Nancy Guthrie case and Ring Super Bowl ad reawaken surveillance fears

Many people bought the devices thinking they would do little more than protect their delivery packages

Reason

Ring Drops Controversial Partner After Super Bowl Ad Backlash

The move is a rare win for privacy, both for users and their neighbors.

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Ring cancels partnership with Flock after backlash – what this means for its Search Party feature

Ring and Flock call off partnership but not for the reason you’d think

Reason

Ring's Lost Dog Finder Is a Potential Civil Liberties Nightmare

Search Party uses AI to detect lost pets, but some worry about the Ring program's potential use by law enforcement.

The Independent UK

Inside the AI police tech firm whose data is being fed to ICE

IN FOCUS: Cities across the nation are cutting ties with the Atlanta-based police tech firm after revelations that Donald Trump’s deportation squads have repeatedly gained access to its data. Io Dodds reports

The Independent UK

‘Reddit Detective Agency’ learned from past mistakes before crucial Brown University shooter tip

The latest AI-powered surveillance was of little use in the early search for the Brown University shooter

Latin Times

License Plate Reader Firm Suspends Assistance With Immigration Authorities Over Privacy Concerns

Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley said the partnerships with CBP and HSI were intended to combat human trafficking and fentanyl distribution, not immigration enforcement, therefore he will suspend assistance with federal agencies

Reason

License Plate Readers Can Each Track 2,000 Vehicles Every Minute, Without a Warrant. This Firm Says That’s Unconstitutional.

A new campaign pushes back against the widespread use of automatic license plate readers without warrants.

Reason

An Arkansas Town Agrees To Remove a License Plate Camera Aimed at a Couple's Home

Local officials initially were unfazed by complaints that the constant surveillance raised serious privacy concerns.

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