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MapQuest launched a new 'Surveillance' layer this week that marks the locations of automatic license plate readers from Flock Safety, Motorola Solutions, Genetec, Axon and several other manufacturers. Users can enable it via the app's Layers menu, and tapping a marker reveals the camera type and exact coordinates. The company has not disclosed how it sources this location data.
Several technology companies, including Netflix, HubSpot and Flock Safety, announced workforce reductions in October as part of a continuing wave of layoffs across the sector in 2025. The cuts add to a year already marked by heavy job losses at technology firms.
MapQuest has introduced a new toggleable map layer that displays locations of outdoor surveillance cameras and license plate readers, including devices from Flock, Motorola Solutions, Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon and several other manufacturers. The feature sits alongside existing traffic and incident layers in the app.
A new survey from data removal service Incogni, covering 1,517 U.S. adults, found that 45% say they aren't concerned about their online privacy. Despite this, among those who claimed to have 'nothing to hide,' 58% would refuse to let a stranger unlock their phone for any amount of money, 39% cover their device cameras, and nearly half wouldn't share text messages with the government or 'Big Tech' even for three months' income.
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley publicly defended his company's automated license-plate reader technology after facing national backlash over privacy and abuse concerns. He acknowledged the system is 'far from perfect' but argued it helps police departments address staffing shortages and improve public safety, claiming millions of people have benefited from it.
Musician and investigative researcher Benn Jordan testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism at a hearing on Flock Safety and other automatic license plate reader systems. The company, which makes ALPR cameras and software, is now under investigation by Sen. Josh Hawley, has seen hundreds of local governments cancel contracts, and reportedly plans to cut about 18 percent of its workforce, according to Reuters. Jordan says he communicates directly with Flock's CEO Garrett Langley and reports security vulnerabilities to the company despite his criticism of its practices.
Flock founder and CEO Garrett Langley publicly defended his company's license-plate camera and surveillance systems at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, arguing that halting the technology's expansion would hinder crime accountability. He addressed criticism that has led some cities to cancel contracts and the company to lay off staff, but largely responded with anecdotes from police chiefs rather than direct solutions to privacy concerns.
Flock CEO Garrett Langley told TechCrunch Disrupt that the company's Gunshot Detection microphones pick up 'just gunshots,' but Flock's website describes the system as also detecting street takeovers, severe crashes, fireworks and sideshows. The product previously drew criticism for listening for 'screaming,' which Flock relabeled as 'sounds of human distress' before later removing that distress-detection capability for customers who tested it.
At TechCrunch's Disrupt 2026 conference, Flock CEO Garrett Langley said the company has never ended a contract with a police department over misuse of its license plate reader systems, despite numerous reports of officers abusing database access to stalk people. Langley said Flock would cut off a customer that knowingly broke the law, but has so far judged individual officer misconduct cases as not warranting termination of the underlying agency's access.
Tyler Murkerson has filed a lawsuit against Flock Safety and the Coweta County Sheriff's Office, alleging deputies repeatedly searched his license plate in the Flock system without probable cause while a separate excessive-force suit he filed against the department was pending. His attorneys say deputies entered meaningless justifications like 'info' and '37' for these searches, and that Flock's software let officers type anything into a free-text field instead of requiring a verified case number.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 continued its second day at San Francisco's Moscone West, featuring an Expo Hall with over 300 startups, live pitch sessions, and AI-based matchmaking for an audience exceeding 10,000 founders, investors and tech leaders. Speakers on day two included representatives from Nvidia, Waabi, Flock Safety, Ricursive Intelligence and Benchmark, covering topics such as robotics, AI hardware, public safety and venture funding.
Canadian software engineer and YouTuber Anthony Sistilli built his own automatic license plate reader using a 4K surveillance camera and AI coding tools, configuring it to flag only police cruisers rather than ordinary vehicles. He tested the dashboard-mounted prototype in real traffic, refining it after early lag issues, and detailed the project in a YouTube video. Local police subsequently visited his home in September to question him about the device.