The fight over Flock and other ALPRs

Flock and similar automatic license plate reader systems now operate more than 120,000 cameras across the US, using AI to identify and track vehicles by plate, model, color, and other attributes. Dozens of communities, including Los Angeles, have canceled or suspended contracts as officials scrutinize data collection, access rules, and future uses of ALPR networks.

The backlash shows growing resistance to always-on public surveillance tools as local governments weigh crime-fighting claims against privacy and civil liberties concerns. Flock’s controversies also highlight a broader trend: AI policing systems are scaling faster than the oversight frameworks meant to govern them.