Cops Used Flock's License-Plate Cameras to Stalk Women — Now What?

Flock Safety makes cameras that read your license plate and share the data with police. The company says these cameras help catch criminals. But a Washington Post investigation found 46 cases where police officers were accused of using Flock systems for unauthorized reasons, including stalking wives, girlfriends, or exes. This has created a rare moment: both Democrats and Republicans are criticizing the company.

CEO Garrett Langley has been defending Flock in interviews. He says the country needs to find a compromise between safety and privacy, and that Flock did not create police abuse. Critics aren't fully convinced. The ACLU says Flock's changes may help, but it depends on how the special 'Evidence Mode' works. Flock reduced the default time it stores data from 30 days to seven days, but police can save data longer by using that mode.

Politicians on both sides are taking aim. Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed accused his opponent of supporting a 'mass proliferation' of Flock cameras. Senator Bernie Sanders posted: 'STOP AI MASS SURVEILLANCE. STOP FLOCK.' Meanwhile, three House Republicans introduced a bill to stop the federal government from buying similar surveillance systems. This is one of those rare issues where privacy concerns unite the left and the right.

Langley says the real fix is regulation. He wants state lawmakers to make the illegal use of Flock data a crime. The company also says it has built tools to detect misuse. Whether those tools work will be tested as more cities install these cameras. For ordinary people, the big question is simple: How much of your daily driving should police be able to see, and who gets to look at it?