AI cameras are spying on Americans: Stop flocking around with privacy
Local governments across the country are embracing Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) to fight crime. At the center of this trend is Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based tech startup. Flock promises an easy solution to property crime by installing AI-powered cameras on public roads. It sounds like a reasonable upgrade to traditional policing, but a massive backlash is growing over civil liberties and the misuse of public trust.
TL;DR
- Local governments are increasingly using Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) for crime fighting.
- Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based startup, is central to this trend with its AI-powered cameras.
- Concerns about civil liberties and misuse of public trust are leading to backlash.
- A similar debate occurred two decades ago in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, over traffic cameras.
- The Maryland commission rejected the traffic camera project, choosing individual liberty over automated tracking.