A local resident spent several minutes Monday morning objecting to a newly installed Flock Safety license-plate reader mounted on a utility pole near his street, delivering his remarks exclusively through the smartphone in his hand.
The man, who declined to give his name, stood on the sidewalk gesturing toward the camera with one hand while the other remained occupied by the device that continuously logs his location, browsing habits, app usage, and proximity to other phones. “This is pure mass surveillance,” he said into the phone’s microphone while posting to TikTok. “They’re tracking every car that drives by. It’s so friggin’ Orwellian!”
Passersby noted that the phone remained unlocked and actively recording the conversation. At one point the man paused to check a notification, then resumed his critique of the Flock unit’s ability to capture vehicle movements in real time.
Flock cameras, which photograph license plates and timestamps and share the data with participating law-enforcement agencies, have become a frequent target of local complaint. The man’s phone, manufactured by a company that maintains detailed records of its users’ movements and communications, was not mentioned in his remarks.
When asked whether he saw any tension between his stated position and the tool he was using to express it, the man looked briefly at the screen, then continued. “This is different,” he said. “I’m choosing to use this.” He then opened a mapping application that displayed his precise location before returning to the subject of the camera.
No arrests were made. The Flock camera continued its work uninterrupted. The phone remained in the man’s possession.
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