ABC7: Mountain View suspends license plate readers; agencies accessed flock camera data without consent

"MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- The city of Mountain View is shutting down their license plate reader system, for now.

City officials say an audit discovered that for several months in 2024 - multiple federal agencies accessed data from a Flock license plate reader...."

https://abc7news.com/post/mountain-view-suspends-license-plate-readers-federal-agencies-accessed-flock-safety-camera-data-permission/18536718/

#flock #alpr #privacy

ABC7: Mountain View suspends license plate readers; agencies accessed flock camera data without consent

"MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- The city of Mountain View is shutting down their license plate reader system, for now.

City officials say an audit discovered that for several months in 2024 - multiple federal agencies accessed data from a Flock license plate reader...."

https://abc7news.com/post/mountain-view-suspends-license-plate-readers-federal-agencies-accessed-flock-safety-camera-data-permission/18536718/

#flock #alpr #privacy

@igd_news
@dgfitch

So if I understand correctly, the goal is to slow / merge traffic enough to allow a "human #Flock camera" to do human-automatic license plate recognition on passing cars, check the license plate numbers against a (written?) database, and act accordingly if a match is found to known ICE plates.

Interesting. Legal?

It does suggest the idea of an Android / Termux / OpenALPR (or equivalent; it's open-ish now) script to do the same detection on a cellphone.

#Police Told to Be ‘as Vague as Permissible’ About Why They Use #Flock

Police officers are being told to “be as vague as permissible” about why they are using the Flock #surveillance system in order to not leak sensitive information via public records requests, according to records obtained using a public records request.
#privacy #flocksafety #foia

https://www.404media.co/police-told-to-be-as-vague-as-permissible-about-why-they-use-flock/

404 Media: Police Told to Be ‘as Vague as Permissible’ About Why They Use Flock
Jan 27, 2026 at 9:26 AM

The documents show law enforcement sees themselves as being consistently and universally under threat from the people it is supposed to protect.

https://www.404media.co/police-told-to-be-as-vague-as-permissible-about-why-they-use-flock/

#flock #privacy #policing #surveillance #bigbrother

#Police Told to Be ‘as Vague as Permissible’ About Why They Use #Flock

Police officers are being told to “be as vague as permissible” about why they are using the Flock #surveillance system in order to not leak sensitive information via public records requests, according to records obtained using a public records request.
#privacy #flocksafety #foia

https://www.404media.co/police-told-to-be-as-vague-as-permissible-about-why-they-use-flock/

404 Media: Police Told to Be ‘as Vague as Permissible’ About Why They Use Flock
Jan 27, 2026 at 9:26 AM

The documents show law enforcement sees themselves as being consistently and universally under threat from the people it is supposed to protect.

https://www.404media.co/police-told-to-be-as-vague-as-permissible-about-why-they-use-flock/

#flock #privacy #policing #surveillance #bigbrother

Saw a post on reddit about someone watching this box get installed on a power pole in their town. One commenter explained this is a PTZ camera and they are being installed all over the country. The high voltage sticker is over glass with the camera behind it. I confirmed this and have seen several myself now. Many are open to the public with no passwords. Several I saw are pointed at apartment complexes or similar but many are pointed at specific houses. The zoom capability allows you to see right into peoples windows. I'm guessing no warrant, and being that its high up on a telephone pole, the expectation of privacy doesnt fit if you can't see from the street. Pretty disturbing that they exist, even more so that these fools are leaving them open to the internet for anyone to access. At least #flock dont disguise their cams but that will probably change as these are similar to flocks condor cams.

Local PD? #ice ?

#privacy #ptz #spycams #4thamendment

Saw a post on reddit about someone watching this box get installed on a power pole in their town. One commenter explained this is a PTZ camera and they are being installed all over the country. The high voltage sticker is over glass with the camera behind it. I confirmed this and have seen several myself now. Many are open to the public with no passwords. Several I saw are pointed at apartment complexes or similar but many are pointed at specific houses. The zoom capability allows you to see right into peoples windows. I'm guessing no warrant, and being that its high up on a telephone pole, the expectation of privacy doesnt fit if you can't see from the street. Pretty disturbing that they exist, even more so that these fools are leaving them open to the internet for anyone to access. At least #flock dont disguise their cams but that will probably change as these are similar to flocks condor cams.

Local PD? #ice ?

#privacy #ptz #spycams #4thamendment

#waleg update on Flock and ALPR regulation: (1/N)

Unfortunately, the Law & Justice committee approved really horrible amended version of SB 6002, the Driver Privacy Act. There will still be other chances to strengthen it, but this is a big setback -- especially since it was already too weak.

If you're in Washington state, here's an action to tell your legislators how disappointed you are -- and what they need to do to strengthen the bill.

https://www.takeaction.network/xactions/46383?

#flock #surveillance

#waleg update on Flock and ALPR regulation: (1/N)

Unfortunately, the Law & Justice committee approved really horrible amended version of SB 6002, the Driver Privacy Act. There will still be other chances to strengthen it, but this is a big setback -- especially since it was already too weak.

If you're in Washington state, here's an action to tell your legislators how disappointed you are -- and what they need to do to strengthen the bill.

https://www.takeaction.network/xactions/46383?

#flock #surveillance

RE: https://mastodon.social/@JulianOliver/115940654458570258

This and also, delete your #Amazon account.

Why in the ever-living-fuck is anyone still giving money to any #US #bigtech #fascist boot-licker unless there is no other choice for something that is essential? Don't feed the fascist machine.

Rather than talk about the latest corporate streaming tv show you enjoyed, share about your boycott of those companies. Give your money to #PBS instead. Use your library.

#Flock #Ice #Fascism #Boycott
#Apple #Google #Microsoft