ALPR Data Practices Under Scrutiny Following Baltimore Police Technology Use
What happened
WBAL-TV investigates the data collection practices of automated license plate readers (ALPR), noting that the systems collect information via roadside cameras. These cameras feed into a searchable system that law enforcement can use to track vehicles by license plate number or description, potentially without a warrant. The company, Flock Safety, was reportedly deleting collected data after 30 days by default, though it now recommends new customers delete data weekly.
From wbaltv.com
Why it matters
The technology provider, Flock Safety, is under scrutiny regarding its data governance protocols. Cybersecurity experts from Anne Arundel Community College have raised concerns about the aggregate data being used and the lack of controls over the information gathered.
From wbaltv.com
Who's involved
- Flock SafetyProvider of ALPR surveillance technology
- BaltimoreCity where the technology is being utilized by police
- Anne Arundel Community CollegeInstitution whose experts are commenting on the technology company
Keep exploring
The entities involved
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Flock Safety
American surveillance technology company
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Baltimore
city in Maryland, United States
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Anne Arundel Community College
educational institution in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Nothing else this week.
Related events
- Researcher at Christopher Newport University studies Flock Safety's ALPR technology, coinciding with hacked camera data being broadcast on YouTube.
- Waco police rejected Flock Safety's specialized hardware for regional police departments, amidst state funding halts affecting technology rollouts.
- Flock Safety, a company whose technology is used for law enforcement queries, is being utilized by the Richmond Police Department in Richmond, Ohio.
- Town Council in Barnstable voted to end the police department's use of Flock ALPR cameras.
- Flock Safety utilizes its ALPR technology in Charleston's Tri-County area.