Flock pitched turning Uber and Lyft drivers into a mobile surveillance network

Flock Safety, a firm behind a nationwide network of automatic license plate readers, unveiled a scheme to transform tens of thousands of Uber, Lyft, and delivery drivers into an extended arm of its surveillance system, according to a company presentation obtained by investigative outlet 404 Media. The document, as reported by 404 Media's Joseph Cox, outlines the deployment of dashcams in driver vehicles to scan license plates during journeys, effectively broadening Flock's network beyond its conventional fixed cameras.

The plan hinges on a proposed collaboration with Nexar, a dashcam manufacturer already targeting rideshare drivers and commuters. 404 Media had previously reported on this potential partnership last year, but the newly acquired document reveals Flock was actively promoting the arrangement to potential customers around the same time. The materials were disclosed to 404 Media by a resident in Georgia who obtained them via a public records request following a presentation by Flock to the state's attorney general's office.

While Flock denied ever putting the Nexar deal into practice, Cox's reporting highlights the magnitude of Flock's aspirations. The company aims to harness approximately 350,000 Uber, Lyft, and other delivery vehicles for the network, complementing existing coverage from businesses and homeowner associations spread across Georgia. However, it remains uncertain whether Uber, Lyft, or their drivers were cognizant that their vehicles were amassing this data, according to Cox.

The proposal fits into Flock's broader strategy to diversify data sources. Previously, 404 Media exposed a security breach that exposed extensive Nexar customer footage, encompassing sensitive military locations, as well as a shelved project to develop a tool linking license plates to specific individuals using leaked data. Cox also referenced 404 Media's coverage of a comparable arrangement involving BusPatrol, a firm outfitting school buses with cameras and sharing the resulting data with authorities. Uber, Lyft, and Nexar declined to comment on the 404 Media's inquiries, as per Cox's reporting.