Flock announces changes amid backlash over its license plate reader network

The briefing

Flock Safety announced platform changes intended to address privacy concerns and documented abuses of its nationwide license plate reader network. By Jan. 1, law enforcement customers must implement an audit tool that locks out users showing abnormal search behavior, tie each search to a case number, and the standard data retention window drops from 30 days to seven. Critics including the ACLU and the Institute for Justice called the changes retreads and window dressing, as more than 50 agencies have canceled or suspended contracts this year.