You may have noticed cameras like this one popping up throughout Carrollton and other cities in the DFW metroplex over the last couple of years. This is a Flock Automated License Plate Reader camera (ALPR), and it is part of a vast surveillance network spanning 49 states and thousands of jurisdictions, watching millions of Americans.

The City of Carrollton has signed contracts with Flock Safety to lease their camera hardware as well as use Flock’s proprietary AI-driven software. These cameras are supposed to help with solving and deterring crimes - sounds great, right?

Wrong. These cameras are actually a huge problem. Let’s talk about some of the reasons we’re concerned.