Summary
- Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is the term usually used in New Zealand for this technology. The term Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) is more commonly used in the USA.
- A broad range of individuals and groups from across the political spectrum are mobilising against the growing use of AI and camera surveillance for vehicle tracking in the USA.
- The corporation Flock Safety is a major supplier of ALPR cameras and systems to city councils in the USA.
- The “DeFlock” online map has been created for those concerned with the growing surveillance network to record the location of cameras and raise awareness of the issue.
- According to reports in 404 Media, The Institute for Justice has been filing lawsuits on issues of “privacy and government overreach” as “a civil liberties organization”. The Institute claims that the City of Norfolk’s Flock surveillance system is unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment. They describe the system’s impact on city residents is an “AI-assisted database that enables the warrantless surveillance of their every move”.
- The Institute for Justice is expecting a trial date late in 2025 and promises “to fight for the right of every American to travel without being tracked by government surveillance”.
- Recent concerns with Flock Safety systems and traffic surveillance have also centered around revelations that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unlawfully gained access to ALPR camera data to use in immigration enforcement activities. This issue has been covered by wide range of groups from the libertarian magazine Reason through to the San Diego Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.
- A researcher associated with Secure Justice organisation and The Independent Institute is reporting that “There is no statistical evidence that ALPRs are effective at giving law enforcement investigative leads” and “There is not even a moderate correlation between ALPRs and stolen vehicle recoveries” after analysing 16 years of police data from Piedmont in California.
- In early 2025, Land Line Media reported that 16 US states have passed privacy rules restricting the use and/or limiting the storage of ALPR camera data; with more states legislating on the issue.
- Another group in the USA, call the Tenth Amendment Center, focuses on activities which “limit the expansion of the surveillance state” at the State and local level.
Quotes
“I want everyone to be aware that this is happening. And I don’t think I can change people’s minds—some people will be fine with it. But some people won’t be,” he said. “And hopefully enough people won’t be fine with it and will do something to get them taken down [in their city] or at least better controlled, preferably taken down.”
Will Freeman (creator of DeFlock) as quoted in The Open Source Project DeFlock Is Mapping License Plate Surveillance Cameras All Over the World, Jason Keobler, 404 Media, 11 November 2024
“Flock cameras, which are called automated license plate readers (ALPRs) have become incredibly popular all over the United States. More than 5,000 communities around the country have the cameras, which use AI to passively and constantly check which cars are driving by them. Flock has made several incredibly lofty claims over the years, which includes “Flock will have eliminated crime in America in 10 years.”
Lawsuit Argues Warrantless Use of Flock Surveillance Cameras Is Unconstitutional,Jason Keobler, 404 Media, 21 October 2024
“Municipalities across the country are starting to hit the brakes on installing Flock’s ALPR cameras because they recognize that mass surveillance of drivers’ movements is an unconstitutional dragnet.
Most recently:
- Denver, Colo.—On May 5 the City Council unanimously rejected a $666,000 extension of Denver’s Flock pilot program, citing “new community concerns” about constant surveillance.
- Eureka, Calif.—In February the Eureka City Council voted down a plan to install 21 Flock cameras after residents and council members warned that the system would infringe on privacy rights.
- Gig Harbor, Wash.—In March, the Gig Harbor city council rejected a motion that would have installed 10 Flock cameras in the Washington city.
The case now proceeds toward trial, with discovery scheduled to close this summer and a fall 2025 trial date. IJ will continue to fight for the right of every American to travel without being tracked by government surveillance.”
Federal Court Rejects Flock Safety’s Late Bid to Join and Block IJ’s Lawsuit Challenging Norfolk’s Mass-Surveillance Cameras, Andrew Wimer, Institute for Justice, 28 May 2025
“We must protect our communities by wholesale preventing the chance for this surveillance data being abused by either local or federal agencies.
Further, surveillance is a profit mill for Trump ally Peter Thiel whose Founders’ Fund invested in San Diego’s Flock system and allied companies such as Palantir.
A vote for ALPR is a vote for Trump and Thiel’s digital dragnet.
As such we call on the San Diego City Council to force the SDPD to end their use of ALPR technology, to delete all of their current ALPR data, and for them to immediately cease sharing all ALPR data with other government agencies.”
End Automatic License Plate Readers Use, San Diego Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, 16 May 2025
“The National Conference of State Legislatures reported at least 16 states have rules relating to the use of automated license plate readers. Among that group, six states place restrictions on government or law enforcement use of the technology. Eight states limit how long data can be kept. Four states specify that data is exempt under public records laws.”
Seven states pursue rules for license plate readers, Keith Gobles, Land Line Media, 07 February 2025
Article Details
Headline: The Open Source Project DeFlock Is Mapping License Plate Surveillance Cameras All Over the World
Author: Jason Keobler
Published on: 11 November 2024
Published by: 404 Media
Headline: Lawsuit Argues Warrantless Use of Flock Surveillance Cameras Is Unconstitutional
Author: Jason Keobler
Published on: 21 October 2024
Published by: 404 Media
Headline: Federal Court Rejects Flock Safety’s Late Bid to Join and Block IJ’s Lawsuit Challenging Norfolk’s Mass-Surveillance Cameras
Author: Andrew Wimer
Published on: 28 May 2025
Published by: The Institute for Justice
Headline: End Automatic License Plate Readers Use
Published on: 16 May 2025
Published by: San Diego Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America
Link: https://dsasandiego.org/end-alpr-use-san-diego/
Headline: Random chance is as much a factor in the reported “successes” as use of ALPR
Author: Jonathan Hofer
Published on: 30 November 2024
Published by: Secure Justice
Headline: Seven states pursue rules for license plate readers
Author: Keith Gobles
Published on: 07 February 2025
Published by: Land Line Media
Link: https://landline.media/seven-states-pursue-rules-for-license-plate-readers/
Further reading on this issue:
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Technology in NZ Cities
What Has Been Happening with Number Plate Recognition Cameras in Manchester, UK?
Information Sheet: 20-Minute Cities and Smart Cities in New Zealand
