Flock Safety loses 90 city contracts in August alone, advocacy data shows
Secure Justice, an Oakland-based anti-surveillance group, reports that 214 cities and counties have dropped Flock Safety license-plate camera contracts since 2021, with 90 cancellations in August 2026 alone—four times July's total. Communities citing surveillance overreach, data-sharing concerns, cost, and police misuse are ending deals at roughly three per day over the past month. Flock disputes the significance, saying new partnerships have outpaced cancellations 10 to 1 in 2026.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The accelerating cancellation rate signals growing public backlash against automated license-plate surveillance networks even as Flock claims broader market growth, suggesting a widening gap between company messaging and local political reality. If the trend continues, it could reshape how police departments and municipalities weigh privacy concerns against surveillance-tool adoption nationwide.
- 214 localities have dropped Flock since 2021, with 90 cancellations in August 2026 alone.
- Cancellation pace has quadrupled month-over-month amid privacy and cost concerns.
- Flock disputes the trend's importance, citing a 10-to-1 ratio of new deals to cancellations.
Mission Darkness Non-Window Faraday Bag for Phones — If stories about license plate readers and sprawling data sharing have you thinking about your own digital trail, a Faraday bag is a simple, physical way to block a phone's cellular, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals. Mission Darkness makes rugged, well-known shielding pouches sized for phones, and it's an easy thing to toss in a bag or glovebox.
See Mission Darkness Non-Window Faraday Bag for Phones on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-08-28
Published there as: “Cities terminate Flock contracts at record pace in August”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.