Judge Calls Flock's Warrantless Searches 'Indiscriminate Mass Surveillance'
Federal judge calls Flock 'indiscriminate mass surveillance'
A federal judge ruled that a Tulsa deputy violated a woman's Fourth Amendment rights by searching Flock Safety's license plate database without a warrant, based solely on her California plate. The judge suppressed evidence found after the search, including 91 pounds of meth, and warned that Flock's passive cataloging of public movements amounts to indiscriminate mass surveillance. The ruling adds to growing backlash against Flock, with Florida and Texas halting use and Senator Sanders introducing a bill to ban federal agencies from using such systems.
This is a type of indiscriminate mass surveillance. It is not targeted on a single individual... It is a tool that collects information about all vehicles that pass by any network-connected camera at all times, and it serves up the information to law enforcement on demand.