Flock announces changes amid backlash over its license plate reader network
- Flock Safety said it is changing its license plate reader platform after growing criticism from lawmakers, civil liberties groups and the public over privacy concerns and alleged misuse by law enforcement.
- The company said all law enforcement customers will be required by Jan. 1 to use an audit tool that flags abnormal search behavior and can trigger a lockout pending review.
- Flock said it will shorten its default data retention period from 30 days to seven days, while still allowing longer retention when the data is tied to a case number as evidence.
- The company will require officers to enter a records-management code linking each search to a specific case, and emergency overrides will be automatically flagged for review.
- Customers will also be able to limit which offense types outside agencies can search for, giving them a way to block searches related to immigration enforcement.
Flock Safety announced a series of platform changes after facing intensifying criticism over its nationwide license plate reader network. The company said the adjustments are intended to address privacy concerns and cases in which some law enforcement users have misused the system.
Under the new rules, all law enforcement customers must adopt an audit tool that can detect unusual search patterns and flag them for review. Flock also said it will cut its default retention period for recorded data to seven days from 30, while allowing longer storage when the material is linked to a case number.
The company will require searches to be tied to a specific case through a records-management code, and it will automatically flag emergency overrides. It will also let customers restrict which offense categories outside agencies can search, including the ability to block searches tied to immigration enforcement. Critics called the changes incomplete, while supporters said the updates move the system toward greater accountability.
面对车牌识别网络争议，Flock宣布调整平台规则
在全国范围的车牌识别网络遭遇越来越多批评后，Flock Safety宣布了一系列平台调整。公司表示，这些变化旨在回应隐私担忧，以及部分执法人员被指滥用系统的情况。
按照新规则，所有执法客户都必须启用审计工具，用于发现异常搜索模式并将其标记审查。Flock还把默认数据保留期从30天缩短到7天，但如果相关数据与案件编号挂钩，仍可保留更长时间。
公司同时要求每次搜索都要通过记录管理系统代码关联到具体案件，紧急情况下的例外操作也会自动进入审查。客户还可以限制外部机构可搜索的罪名类别，包括阻止与移民执法相关的搜索。批评者认为这些变化仍不充分，支持者则认为这是提高问责的一步。