Inside the growing vigilante movement to knock out Flock surveillance cameras
A loose network of privacy activists across the United States has taken to physically disabling or destroying Flock Safety license plate reader cameras, which have rapidly expanded into communities nationwide. One participant described the high anxiety of his first attempt, illustrating that these acts are deliberate and personal, not random vandalism.
Why this matters: Flock cameras sit on poles in neighborhoods and read every license plate that passes. Most residents never voted on them and may not know they are there. That data does not stay local — it flows into networks that police departments across the country can query. When people feel that legal channels have failed them, some start breaking things. That is worth taking seriously as a signal, not just a crime. The real problem is not the activists with spray cans. It is that these cameras went up with almost no public debate about who owns the data, how long it is kept, and who can use it against you.
Who should care: Privacy officers · Cybersecurity · General readers · Policy
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