Flock's Major Rivals as Cameras Spark Increasing Backlash
As Flock Safety faces backlash, rivals such as Axon, Motorola and Verkada move to capture agencies seeking ALPR alternatives.
Flock Safety, a provider of automated license plate readers (ALPRs), is facing a major backlash as more cities and counties across the United States cancel contracts, deactivate cameras, or reject new deployments due to mounting privacy concerns. According to privacy advocacy group Deflock the USA, 46 communities have canceled Flock contracts, 20 have rejected proposed contracts, 19 have deactivated Flock cameras, 8 have removed cameras, and 12 have paused or suspended programs.
The backlash stems from concerns over government surveillance, data sharing, potential federal access to vehicle records, and alleged misuse by law enforcement officers. As Flock comes under increasing scrutiny, competitors like Axon, Motorola, Rekor, Verkada, and Genetec are positioning themselves to replace Flock's services. Axon, in particular, is seen as a potential beneficiary, as its ALPR products are touted for stronger privacy controls and integration with evidence management software, body camera footage, and real-time crime center tools.
However, critics argue that switching from Flock to Axon merely replaces one color of camera with another, as the underlying privacy concerns remain largely unchanged.
Brief written by urgent.news from Newsweek's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
