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Knee-jerk Flock panic threatens a tool that’s making our cities safer
NY Post ^ | 8/21/26 | Rich Lowry

Posted on 08/21/2026 3:35:30 PM PDT by Libloather

We have met the enemy — and it is watching us.

There’s a growing backlash against Flock cameras, the automated license plate readers that have become ubiquitous across the country.

The cameras take images of license plates and store them in a searchable database that police departments can query in the course of their investigations.

Opponents of the cameras consider them an instrument of Big Brother, who’s not only watching, but constantly recording and tracking.

Vandals have disabled and stolen the Flock cameras, and even shot them.

There’s a movement to get jurisdictions to cancel their contracts with Flock (the leading such company, but not the only one), and it’s met with some success.

Los Angeles just let its contract with Flock lapse, citing “serious concerns around civil liberties and civil rights issues.”

There’s a reason, though, that police departments so rapidly adopted the cameras — they are an extremely useful investigative tool.

It is certainly true that the technology, like any power we give the police, can be mis-used.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Outdoors; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: cities; deflock; flock; panic; security
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To: All

Cars already are tracking you so the company can sell this information to your insurance company.
Really all spying should be illegal either from the government or big business out of an actual warrant.
If that means a company loses some money...thats fine.


21 posted on 08/21/2026 3:57:53 PM PDT by escapefromboston (Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.)
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To: Still Thinking
they can place a tracker.

I have been advised that ... legally ... a tracker placed on your vehicle without your knowledge or permission is abandoned property. You're free to remove it and dispose of it as you wish. Placing it on a government employee's vehicle, while amusing, is probably not the best way to dispose of it.

22 posted on 08/21/2026 3:59:24 PM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: Libloather

who authorized these cameras all over the country, not just in high crime areas? Who pays for them?


23 posted on 08/21/2026 3:59:44 PM PDT by LadyDoc (liberals only love politically correct poor people)
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To: SaveFerris

Anything government CAN abuse, government WILL abuse.

In the case of networked, AI enabled, persistent surveillance cameras ... the abuse is already reality.


24 posted on 08/21/2026 4:02:04 PM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: Vendome

“How long before the are used to ticket for speeding , running a redight, hurrying through a yellow light, unsafe lane change, expired tag and so forth?”

I think that is already happening.

If a drunk is going 80 mph in a 15 mph school zone I don’t have a problem with using a camera to stop that behavior.


25 posted on 08/21/2026 4:02:09 PM PDT by jeffersondem
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To: NorthMountain

Yep


26 posted on 08/21/2026 4:05:11 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: jeffersondem

Years ago when I was rebelling and mischievous, I would have a real problem with them. Today, as an old fart, I’m not too rebellious so if anything, setting cruise control at 5mph over is the most I do wrong. so I dont really care about these things in the least.


27 posted on 08/21/2026 4:08:30 PM PDT by sit-rep (I may be Dumb, but I'm not Stupid!)
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To: TigersEye; Libloather
I would trust these cameras more if the government owned and controlled them...

Officer arrested for stalking with Flock Cameras.

28 posted on 08/21/2026 4:09:53 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: SaveFerris
“Exactly - we WILL ALL be under AI SURVEILLANCE China-style - whether we want to or not.”

That is an interesting comment. How many people carry a cell phone made overseas - maybe in Red China.

How many people are absolutely certain that their cell phone is not constantly relaying information on their location to a data server?

How many people give a flip if their own cell phone is surveiling them - as long as the local elected sheriff is not using a camera to violate the rights of a bank robber racing down a federal highway.

29 posted on 08/21/2026 4:10:59 PM PDT by jeffersondem
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To: null and void
Be Thee Quiet, Global Citizen, or I'll report you...

Every Move
You Make,
Every Breath
You Take,
I'll be
Watching You




30 posted on 08/21/2026 4:19:00 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: jeffersondem

I have said for a long time
your Cellphone 📱📱📱 is a
Personal Tracking Device

There will be NO escaping
the Surveillance Society


31 posted on 08/21/2026 4:20:25 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: SaveFerris

The problem is that the AI trackers don’t really care about criminals or illegal immigrants. They care about voters that don’t agree with their leftist ideology. That is all they care about.


32 posted on 08/21/2026 4:21:51 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: GingisK

I didn’t mean to imply that I trusted the government but we do still have the 1st Amendment which is supposed to protect our right to a redress of grievances with the government and we can still try to vote government officials out of office.

We do have a right to sue corporations for our grievances with them but in that case you will need to hire a team of lawyers who can compete with a team of corporate lawyers. And you can’t vote corporate employees out of their jobs.


33 posted on 08/21/2026 4:21:59 PM PDT by TigersEye (The Marxist Media works hand in glove with the Democrat terrorists.)
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To: jeffersondem

You can turn your cell phone off, remove its battery or leave it at home.

How do you keep a Flock camera from collecting data on your vehicle?


34 posted on 08/21/2026 4:24:58 PM PDT by TigersEye (The Marxist Media works hand in glove with the Democrat terrorists.)
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To: fruser1
But you can be pretty sure there will be a lot fewer expired tags.

Thats what I was thinking here in Wichita, Sedgwick county. I swear, about 40% of the residents have expired tags or out of state tags, because it’s so damn expensive to tag in Kansas.
35 posted on 08/21/2026 4:25:24 PM PDT by Old Yeller
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To: Libloather

36 posted on 08/21/2026 4:26:13 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: Libloather

“Rich Lowry”

Be interesting to find out which boards he sits on.


37 posted on 08/21/2026 4:27:45 PM PDT by BobL (Trusting one's doctor is the #1 health mistake one can make.)
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To: House Atreides

When the data is received and not needed for a warrant or other charge the data should be instantly deleted. No backups, no nothing. All over in 15 seconds or less.


38 posted on 08/21/2026 4:29:36 PM PDT by devane617 (Facts Do Not Matter To Those On The Left—It's Their God.)
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To: Libloather

China has cameras everywhere .
Let’s also talk about the driver monitoring systems being installed in new cars.
And car data sent to insurance companies


39 posted on 08/21/2026 4:30:53 PM PDT by HereInTheHeartland (“I don't really care, Margaret.”)
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To: Vendome

already have that in AZ


40 posted on 08/21/2026 4:34:21 PM PDT by Jonny7797
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