Flock camera/Shutterstock
By Alex Dvorak | NBC 5 Chicago
If you’ve heard about Flock cameras lately, you’re not alone.
The controversial technology has been at the center of debate in recent years, with some touting the technology and others questioning what it means for privacy.
The cameras have been the target of criticism from Illinois officials, but they remain present around numerous suburbs.
Here’s what to know:
What are Flock cameras?
Flock cameras are license plate readers operated by Flock Safety, the nation’s largest automated license plate reader system.
“Flock is designed to help authorized users find relevant evidence for investigations without compromising safety and compliance,” the company’s website states.
What is the debate over Flock?
Advocates of the system said it was designed to aid law enforcement by capturing vehicles on camera and using those images to help with investigations.
“We build technology that helps law enforcement, businesses, schools, and communities find relevant information, respond faster, and make better-informed decisions,” Flock’s website states.
But while the systems are touted as a tool for good, some question the privacy concerns surrounding such technology.
“Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are a powerful surveillance tool increasingly being purchased and deployed across many communities and on expressways across Illinois. It is clear that for-profit manufacturers and operators of these cameras systems are aggressively marketing them to law enforcement and elected officials as a means of reducing violent crime,” the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois said in a statement earlier this year. “While some observers question the claim of reducing crime, there is little doubt that these cameras systems require careful attention to address privacy concerns. But many communities are deploying these systems without appropriate privacy policies or practices for protecting personal information.”
Those concerns came to a head last year when Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said the camera company allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to access reader data in violation of state law.
Report continues here.
