Crowdsourcing a Map to Track License Plate Surveillance
by Anthony W. Accurso
An open-source initiative is empowering citizens to monitor automated license plate readers (“ALPRs”) worldwide, cataloging their locations to reveal how police and private companies deploy these surveillance tools.
Flock Safety (“Flock”), a leading ALPR vendor in the United States, markets its technology as a means to “eliminate crime” through license plate readers and connected cameras. Its devices, often mounted on black poles with solar panels, have proliferated across the country, catching the attention of Will Freeman, a Huntsville, Alabama, resident.
“I saw these creepy-looking cameras with solar panels on top,” Freeman told 404 Media. “I took a picture, searched online, and found Flock’s website. That’s when I realized they were license plate readers for the police. I started noticing them everywhere and felt uneasy.”
Motivated to act, Freeman launched DeFlock.me, a website built on OpenStreetMap, an open-source platform akin to Google Maps. DeFlock.me allows users to report ALPR locations, including the direction cameras face, offering insights into deployment strategies by police and companies like Flock. Freeman has also posted signs on ALPR poles to raise awareness and encourage neighbors to contribute to the project.
In Huntsville, Freeman observed a pattern: ALPRs encircle downtown at major intersections, all pointing outward. “It suggests police are more focused on who’s entering downtown than who’s leaving,” he said. Such findings highlight the project’s potential to uncover surveillance priorities.
When 404 Media first reported on DeFlock.me in July 2024, the platform had documented approximately 5,600 ALPRs globally, including 1,700 in the U.S. By December 2024, the total had surged to nearly 12,000, reflecting growing public participation.
Privacy Concerns and Legal Challenges
ALPRs’ ability to track individuals’ movements over time has sparked debate. In Norfolk, Virginia, a lawsuit filed in 2024 contends that Flock’s ALPR network violates the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches. The case, Gutierrez v. Flock Safety, No. 2:24-cv-00341 (E.D. Va. May 23, 2024), argues that pervasive surveillance without judicial oversight infringes on privacy rights.
Legal scholars note that the Supreme Court’s decision in Carpenter v. United States, 585 U.S. 296 (2018), which limited warrantless cellphone tracking, could influence such cases. However, ALPR data, often collected in public spaces, occupies a legal gray area.
Enhancing Transparency
Freeman has expanded DeFlock.me to track cities and counties that publish ALPR transparency reports. “Many don’t list any ALPRs, so it helps people know where to look,” he said. The feature aims to guide contributors to underreported areas, amplifying the project’s impact.
“I want people to know this is happening,” Freeman said. “Some may be fine with it, but others won’t. I hope enough people push for better oversight—or even removal—of these devices in their communities.”
As ALPRs multiply, DeFlock.me offers a rare glimpse into a surveillance network often shrouded in secrecy, empowering citizens to question how their movements are monitored.
Source: 404media.co.
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