On August 13, 2026, Flock, a surveillance technology company, announced it will limit access to its network of over 120,000 automatic license plate readers. This decision follows reports of police officers misusing the technology for activities such as stalking, with incidents dating back to at least 2021. In a blog post, CEO Garrett Langley stated that the updates aim to enhance privacy, accountability, and security.
The updates include making a feature that flags 'abnormal activity' mandatory, reducing the recommended data storage period from 30 days to seven days, and implementing optional limits on data sharing between police departments.
The ACLU criticized the changes, describing them as insufficient and reiterating previous concerns about safety measures. Tom Bowman, policy counsel at the Center for Democracy & Technology, also expressed skepticism, stating that the changes rely on police departments to self-regulate despite evidence suggesting this approach is unsafe.