Vulnerabilities in Flock’s software and oversight make the surveillance network ripe for abuse, the extent of which is only just starting to become clear.

Stalked by Flock

Because the network of Flock cameras can track vehicles across thousands of miles, this network enables stalking on an unprecedented scale. Many stories have emerged over the past couple years of abuse of Flock data by police themselves:

A Sedgwick, Kansas, police chief used Flock to track his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend’s vehicles 228 times over four-plus months. (source)

Kechi Police Lieutenant Victor Heiar was arrested by the Wichita Police Department after it was discovered he utilized his position within the police department to unlawfully access WPD’s flock license plate reader technology to monitor where his estranged wife was located. (source)

A police chief in suburban Atlanta has been arrested on charges that he used the city’s automated license plate recognition cameras to stalk and harass multiple people. (source)

Prosecutors say [Milwaukee police officer Josue Ayala] used Flock’s plate-tracking platform to look up the location of a woman he was dating, as well as that of her ex-boyfriend, more than 170 times in total over a roughly two-month period. (source)

The case of Josue Ayala is particularly shocking, because the victim of his stalking found out not through internal police oversight but instead through the work of an independent organization, Have I Been Flocked?, who have been compiling audits of search logs in an attempt to bring transparency to how Flock is used.

Unsecured Cameras

Recent reporting by 404 Media showed how Flock neglected to secure over 60 of its cameras. Anybody with a link could immediately access live footage and recordings from the past 30 days without a username or password.

Many of these cameras were pointed at pedestrian walkways, where people can be clearly seen and identified with third party search tools. In fact, these particular cameras are designed to automatically track and zoom in on people.

At lease one camera was pointed directly at a playground, providing a non-stop, openly accessible video stream of children playing.

We strongly encourage people to watch this short video about these extremely concerning security oversights and the broader social risks of Flock surveillance:

We say: NO to Flock!