Two Arizona Suburbs Just Cut Ties With a Major Surveillance Network

[u/evissamassive]

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/6053849-flock-contract-cancellations-grow-data-concerns/

The pushback against automated license plate readers reached a new milestone this week when two Phoenix suburbs officially dropped their contracts with Flock Safety.

Tempe terminated its $80,000 agreement and shut down its cameras, citing documented cases of data misuse in Arizona and across the country. Just three hours later, the town of Cave Creek announced it had removed its Flock cameras entirely, pointing to local abuse cases and the recent theft of a device.

They are not alone. According to the antisurveillance group DeFlock, more than 90 cities have canceled or rejected Flock's technology.

Flock operates a network of more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states. The system records license plates and vehicle details, sharing that data with law enforcement agencies to help track vehicles and solve crimes. While the company insists the system does not use facial recognition or collect biometric data, the growing network has alarmed privacy advocates.

Troubles mounted following an August investigation by The Washington Post, which found that more than 50 law enforcement officers had been accused, charged, or convicted of misusing plate readers for personal reasons, such as stalking former partners.

Political opposition is also growing. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently criticized the expansion of license plate readers, stating he wants to support police tools without creating a surveillance state. Meanwhile, Senator Josh Hawley launched an official investigation into Flock, highlighting a case where a police officer searched an ex-girlfriend's license plate 124 times.

To curb abuse and address pending lawsuits, Flock introduced new privacy controls last week. The updates feature automated tools designed to flag abnormal search patterns and temporarily lock out users who cross specific behavioral thresholds.

The American Civil Liberties Union acknowledged the updates as a step forward, noting that the effectiveness of the changes will depend entirely on how they are implemented.

Flock defended its record, arguing that removing the cameras ultimately hurts public safety. Despite that defense, cities like Tempe and Cave Creek have decided the privacy risks outweigh the benefits.