What happened
EFF analysis of Flock Safety ALPR logs shows officers across the United States entering nonsensical reasons such as "LOL", "LMAO" and "idk" to access vehicle location data. The lack of warrant requirements and weak audit controls enables widespread, unchecked surveillance of citizens. Some agencies are now adopting dropdown menus to limit free‑text entries, but the practice highlights serious privacy and oversight gaps.
Why it matters for trust and compliance
- Its status is announced. It is not law yet. Track it, but do not treat it as an obligation.
- The report reveals pervasive, undocumented ALPR searches that threaten privacy and civil liberties.
Who is affected
government Flock Safety Goshen Police Department Barberton Police Department Harris County Sheriff's Office Lake County Sheriff's Department Richmond Police Department Riverside County Sheriff's Department Kankakee County Sheriff's Office Fishers Police Department San Diego Sheriff's Department Cobb County Police Department Belton Police Department Manteca Police Department Norton Police Department Corona Police Department
Recommended actions
- Check that privacy notices describe the practices this addresses.
- Map the security requirements to existing controls and close gaps.
- Inventory AI or automated decision systems in scope and their assessments.