wire / 2026-08-13-5a75
Flock AI License Plate Readers Misused by Police, Prompting Privacy Reforms
Flock's plate readers turn out to be usable for stalking by the same officers meant to run them. New guardrails are promised.
The facts
Flock Safety's AI-powered automated license plate readers were misused by some law enforcement officers in the U.S. for unauthorized surveillance and stalking, leading to privacy violations and public backlash. In response, Flock announced new privacy guardrails and auditing controls to address these abuses and strengthen oversight.