How to check if your car has been searched by Flock cameras

Key Points:

• A new website, "Have I Been Flocked," allows drivers to check if their license plates have been searched using Flock Safety’s surveillance camera system, which has over 120,000 cameras nationwide.
• The site reveals that searches can be conducted by operators who are not necessarily law enforcement and do not imply that a driver was stopped or investigated; common search reasons include drug-related cases and motor vehicle theft.
• Flock Safety has faced criticism over privacy concerns and misuse of its system, including incidents of law enforcement officers using it for stalking, prompting the company to shorten data retention from 30 days to seven and implement audit tools to detect abnormal search behavior.
• The company emphasizes the system’s benefits in locating missing persons and solving crimes, citing 1,000 missing person detections in July, while the ACLU acknowledges recent reforms as progress but maintains concerns about the underlying surveillance infrastructure.
• New policies, including data retention changes and enhanced audit requirements for law enforcement users, will be implemented by January 1, aiming to address public backlash and improve oversight.