From The Conversation · Henry F. Fradella · · 2m
Flock Cameras' Surveillance Architecture Problem
Flock cameras' design enables widespread police misuse without user hacking.
In brief
Flock cameras' design enables widespread police misuse without user hacking. Flock's surveillance system architecture allows police to spy on individuals without hacking, violating Fourth Amendment rights. Originally reported by The Conversation.
Flock cameras track license plates
Flock cameras capture a vehicle’s license plate, location and distinguishing marks down to dents or a bumper sticker.
Marci Bakely’s ex-boyfriend misused Flock
According to a Washington Post investigation, Bakely’s ex-boyfriend, Braselton Police Chief Michael Steffman, searched her license plates and those of her teenage daughter roughly 600 times through Flock Safety.
Steffman arrested for misuse
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Steffman in November 2025 on charges of stalking, harassment and misuse of an ALPR. He was found dead before trial.
At least 50 officers misused Flock
The Washington Post identified at least 50 officers accused of misusing ALPRs, including 26 who used Flock’s cameras to spy on current or former partners or people they hoped to meet.
Flock claims minimal misuse
Flock says these people represent a tiny share of its more than 140,000 monthly users and that permanent audit logs help uncover misconduct.
Flock’s search system works without warrants
Flock cameras capture a vehicle’s plate, location and distinguishing marks down to dents or a bumper sticker. AI can sort license plate photographs by date taken. Police departments across the network can then conduct searches without warrants or supervisory approval.
Hacked Flock data shows vulnerabilities
In September 2026, news outlets Wired and 404 Media analyzed data that hackers had copied from one Flock camera. About 21 days of logs contained roughly 50,200 vehicles and 1.6 million images.
Flock’s data sharing enables federal access
Public records from Danville, Illinois, revealed more than 4,000 searches by federal agencies, including some with a potential immigration-enforcement focus, although U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had no Flock contract.
Flock enables abortion-related searches
In May 2025, a Texas sheriff’s office searched more than 83,000 cameras for a woman who had self-managed an abortion. The logged reason was 'had an abortion, search for female.'
The takeaway
Flock's surveillance system architecture allows police to spy on individuals without hacking, violating Fourth Amendment rights.
