historyAug 31, 202643:33pending

Part One: The Valiant War on Flock: How People Are Fighting Mass Surveillance

Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff

About this episode

Margaret tells you the sordid history of Automated License Plate Readers and the people who have stood up against them

Sources:

https://www.kwch.com/2022/11/04/kechi-police-lieutenants-arrest-puts-flock-technology-under-scrutiny/
https://azmirror.com/2019/07/08/arizona-police-agencies-gather-share-license-plate-data-but-few-ensure-rules-are-being-followed/
https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/aurora-police-detain-black-family-after-mistaking-their-vehicle-as-stolen
https://sls.eff.org/technologies/automated-license-plate-readers-alprs
https://www.winonapost.com/news/crime/all-of-wpd-s-flock-cameras-stolen/article_9c61aa25-411b-4f2f-a5cd-ca02942f5f9f.html
https://krocnews.com/stolen-flock-cameras-winona-mn/
https://www.winonapost.com/news/wpd-wont-replace-stolen-flock-cameras-citing-public-trust/article_06a67859-2d97-414b-aa8f-d8751ad214bb.html
https://www.military.com/air-force-engineer-accused-of-cutting-down-13-police-cameras-says-they-are-unconstitutional
https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/justice/2025/12/16/timeline-the-brief-troubled-history-of-flock-cameras-in-eugene-springfield/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2025/09/03/ai-startup-flock-thinks-it-can-eliminate-all-crime-in-america/
https://stateofsurveillance.org/news/flock-cameras-destroyed-nationwide-ice-backlash-2026/
https://ngscinc.com/history-license-plate-recognition
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/automatic-license-plate-readers-legal-status-and-policy-recommendations
https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/patrol-cars-poles-alpr/
https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/state-house-hopeful-arrested-in-flock-fiasco/article_2bb9aca2-5ede-4f42-9329-a8754aad7350.html
https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/posts/pfbid0YWZxSJqZSBJu2BDQiQQnWUqzNiYEoHxQEgF88NBRjRXfDwQxMtqfNyHoiry5m3Mel
https://www.wlky.com/article/attorney-lmpd-flock-camera-scandal/69895783
https://www.alxnow.com/2026/07/14/alexandria-man-arrested-for-allegedly-destroying-multiple-license-plate-readers/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/flock-camera-sawed-old-braeswood-22370015.php
https://nypost.com/2026/08/02/us-news/flock-safety-cameras-vandalized-on-long-island-after-accusations-cop-tracked-lover/
https://nypost.com/2026/07/29/us-news/flock-cameras-vandalized-in-monterey-county/
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2026/08/04/down-with-the-flock-florida-man-uses-simple-trick-to-combat-flock-cameras/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/crime/2026/08/03/police-flock-safety-surveillance-cameras-getting-pushback-florida/90915780007/
https://web.archive.org/web/20120819233022/http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/166494646.html
https://www.etymonline.com/word/scofflaw
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/anti-surveillance-mapmaker-refuses-flock-safetys-cease-and-desist-demand
https://www.404media.co/the-open-source-project-deflock-is-mapping-license-plate-surveillance-cameras-all-over-the-world/
https://www.eff.org/document/flock-safety-cd-deflockme
https://www.eff.org/document/eff-deflock-letter-flock-safety
https://www.kwch.com/2022/11/04/kechi-police-lieutenants-arrest-puts-flock-technology-under-scrutiny/
https://www.kwch.com/2022/10/31/kechi-police-lieutenant-arrested-using-police-technology-stalk-wife/
https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/former-kechi-police-lieutenant-sentenced-in-stalking-case/
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2015/05/11/paradise-valley-license-plate-camera-reader/27144369/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/gun-show-customers-license-plates-come-under-scrutiny-1475451302
https://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2013/va-alpr.pdf
https://www.thenewspaper.com/news/42/4232.asp
https://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2018/10/dea-plans-to-expand-license-plate-surveillance-program/
https://qz.com/1400791/that-road-sign-telling-you-how-fast-youre-driving-may-be-part-of-a-us-government-surveillance-network
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443995604578004723603576296
https://www.docsumo.com/blog/optical-character-recognition-history
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3330771.stm
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=18001802465783784125
https://bluewaterhealthyliving.com/news/national-news/texas/corpus-christi-police-use-basic-license-plate-readers-not-flock/
https://legislativeanalysis.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ALPRS-Fact-Sheet-FINAL.pdf

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