Unauthorized Data Breach Reveals: Surveillance Tool for Law Enforcement Under Development by License Plate Reading Company Utilizing Stolen Information
In the realm of technology, Flock Safety, known for its car-tracking systems, is making waves with its latest offering - a new surveillance tool called Nova. This "public safety data platform" is designed to augment traditional data sources, such as automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) data, with information from data breaches, public records, and commercially available sources [1].
As of mid-2025, Nova is already in use by some law enforcement agencies through an Early Access program, enabling them to track specific individuals without the need for a warrant [1]. However, the tool has been met with controversy due to its use of data from breaches, sparking concerns about privacy and warrantless surveillance. Critics argue that aggregating breach data with other personal information could dramatically expand public surveillance and potentially chill civil liberties [1].
This controversy comes amid broader scrutiny of Flock's surveillance technologies, including ALPR cameras used in public spaces and their data sharing with law enforcement [2]. Civil rights advocates are particularly concerned about the erosion of privacy rights as extensive data collection and sharing increase, with some legal challenges already underway against ALPR systems [2].
Flock Safety, however, maintains that their products prioritize crime reduction and community safety, offering transparency features like access logs in their dashboard and controls to mitigate privacy concerns [3]. Despite this, the deployment of tools like Nova, which draws on sensitive and often illicitly obtained data, marks a significant intensification of Flock’s surveillance capabilities beyond just license plate data or gunshot detection [1].
In an internal discussion, a staffer at Flock reportedly expressed horror about the use of stolen data in their system. This sentiment was echoed by concerns about potential perverse incentives for more data to be leaked and stolen [1].
Moreover, Flock recently announced an expansion into drone technology, with their acquisition of Aerodome, a "first responder" remote piloting software for emergency situations [4]. As Flock continues to expand its portfolio of law enforcement technologies, the debates surrounding its products' impact on privacy and civil liberties are likely to persist.
References:
[1] The Verge. (2025). Flock's new surveillance tool, Nova, raises privacy concerns. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2025/6/1/22440721/flock-safety-nova-surveillance-tool-privacy-concerns
[2] Electronic Frontier Foundation. (2025). ALPR Systems and Privacy: A Comprehensive Guide. [online] Available at: https://www.eff.org/issues/alpr
[3] Flock Safety. (2025). Transparency and Privacy at Flock Safety. [online] Available at: https://www.flocksafety.com/transparency/
[4] TechCrunch. (2025). Flock Safety acquires Aerodome to expand into drone technology. [online] Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2025/5/10/flock-safety-acquires-aerodome-to-expand-into-drone-technology/
- In the technology industry, Flock Safety's new surveillance tool Nova, a public safety data platform, is causing controversy due to its use of data breaches and other personal information.
- Nova, which augments traditional data sources with information from data breaches and public records, is already being used by some law enforcement agencies, raising concerns about privacy and warrantless surveillance.
- Critics argue that the aggregation of breach data with other personal information could expand public surveillance and potentially infringe on civil liberties, as debates surrounding Flock's surveillance technologies Heat up.
- As Flock Safety expands its portfolio with the acquisition of Aerodome, a remote piloting software for emergency situations, concerns about its impact on privacy and civil liberties are likely to persist in the general news and tech spheres.
- In the realm of cybersecurity, some within Flock Safety itself have expressed concerns about the use of stolen data in their systems, potentially creating perverse incentives for more data to be leaked and stolen.
- Businesses and the finance sector will likely have to carefully consider the ethical implications of collaborating with companies like Flock Safety, as the integration of data-and-cloud-computing technologies and surveillance tools becomes more prevalent in the crime-and-justice sector.