Fixing Flock: The controls needed now that misuse patterns are clear

An opinion piece urges stronger access, retention, and audit controls for Flock's plate-reader network.

A CSO Online opinion column says Flock Safety must tighten controls on its automated license-plate reader network after documented misuse of searchable location data. Flock says it serves more than 6,000 communities, 5,000 law-enforcement agencies, and over 1,000 businesses; the Washington Post is cited for more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states and about 20 billion monthly plate observations. On August 13, 2026, Flock announced a seven-day default for ordinary plate records, required case codes and multifactor authentication, limits on outside searches, and audit lockouts for abnormal queries. The author argues longer retention should require public approval, case-bound access, immutable logs, and independent audit.