Some Flock Surveillance Cameras Are Getting the Trash-Bag Treatment
Cities in the US are canceling contracts with Flock Safety surveillance systems, leading to concerns about data privacy and misuse. In response to contract terminations, some cities have covered the cameras with trash bags to prevent data access. The situation highlights ongoing debates about surveillance technology and its implications for civil liberties.
- ▪Cities like Dayton, Ohio, and Evanston, Illinois, have decided to end their contracts with Flock Safety surveillance systems.
- ▪Dayton covered its Flock cameras with trash bags to ensure they remain offline during contract negotiations.
- ▪Concerns have been raised about the misuse of data collected by Flock cameras, including sharing with federal agencies.
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| Original publisher | CNET |
| Canonical URL | https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/cities-covering-flock-surveillance-cameras-with-trash-bags/ |
| Publication time | Thu, 28 May 2026 23:15:10 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-28T23:49:38.783Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-28T23:49:38.783Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Cities across the US (including Bend, Oregon, where I live) are canceling Flock Safety surveillance contracts. These systems use AI-powered cameras to read license plates, identify vehicle details, track people and even deploy camera drones over neighborhoods.But some cities, like Dayton, Ohio, ran into a problem on Wednesday: How do they ensure the cameras stay offline while they negotiate the contract's end? In these cases, they've turned to the humble black trash bag.Local governments in both Dayton and Evanston, Illinois, covered Flock automatic license plate reader cameras with garbage bags after deciding to end their contracts, but before the cameras could be removed.It's a low-tech option that prevents outside agencies from accessing footage.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at CNET.
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