Flock surveillance cameras have spread across Lafayette with no discussion. These cameras record the movements of drivers who pass them, regardless of whether they are suspected of any crime. Every trip becomes data in a searchable database.
Supporters promise accountability, but experience says differently: In some places where the cameras are in use, officers have been caught abusing Flock’s system to track former romantic partners, co-workers and others for personal reasons. Those abuses are documented, not hypothetical.
Nationally, misconfigured security settings exposed live, unencrypted camera feeds from Flock online, allowing public internet access to view playground areas and unattended children…