San Diego Council Moves to Drop Flock Deal

San Diego council members are advancing a plan to terminate the city’s agreement with Flock, a provider of automatic license plate reader technology. The move aims to stop the collection and sale of vehicle data by the private firm. The council is responding to concerns raised by local residents and legal precedents involving the technology.

The city faces financial exposure from errors in the system. Several individuals have been wrongfully jailed due to automated plate reader mistakes, including at least one case in San Diego. Lawsuits filed by those detained elsewhere have led to payouts as high as $1 million. These legal costs represent a burden on the municipal budget that the city seeks to avoid.

Privacy advocates point to internal misuse of the data. Police officers have used license plate readers to track former partners in other jurisdictions. While no such incidents have been reported in San Diego, history shows that technology-enabled stalking by law enforcement is not new. The council views this potential for misuse as a risk to residents.

Data security remains a primary concern for the council. Despite existing safeguards, Flock has shared data with outside agencies across the country. An early data breach occurred locally, demonstrating that guardrails are not foolproof. The firm’s practice of unauthorized data sharing has driven more than 280 other municipalities to cancel their contracts, according to the watchdog group DeFlock.

The technology is described as warrantless mass surveillance. Critics argue the system is ripe for misuse by various parties. The council’s action aligns with a national trend of cities exiting these agreements to protect taxpayer money and resident privacy.