[Opinion] Flock cameras are an invasion of privacy

The 145,000 automated license plate readers deployed across the United States, known as Flock cameras, represent an alarming and unacceptable invasion of privacy that threatens civil liberties in communities worldwide. Their threats remain prominent in Florida, as these devices photograph every passing vehicle and store the data in searchable databases used by police, neighborhoods and businesses. Beyond plate scanning, Flock systems typically retain captured location data for 30 days or longer, collecting a travel log that maps out an individual’s daily routines. This can consist of work commutes, trips or any sort of transportation to and from a place with a Flock camera in the commute. There are nearly 10,000 cameras in Florida; however, there are none in Parkland. This decision is due to the municipality’s privacy concern and protection for the city’s residents, as many cars in the Flock database are non-criminal, normal citizens. Flock cameras are an invasion of privacy.

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