Flock’s AI Surveillance System Tracks More Than License Plates
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Flock’s AI Surveillance System Tracks More Than License Plates

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Flock Systems, a company providing surveillance cameras to law enforcement, has deployed a new AI system that goes beyond license plate recognition, raising privacy concerns. WIRED reconstructed the system’s code to understand its capabilities.

Flock’s surveillance cameras have already been a source of controversy. The company’s next-generation AI system, already in use by some police departments, is capable of analyzing vehicle characteristics beyond just license plates. WIRED reports that they reconstructed the system to confirm its expanded functionality.

According to WIRED, the system’s capabilities extend beyond simple license plate reading. The details of these expanded capabilities are not fully detailed in the provided source, but the reconstruction confirms a move beyond basic tracking. The motivation for developing this system appears to be providing law enforcement with more comprehensive vehicle data.

The source specifically notes a language standard regarding immigration status: “'Undocumented' is an activist framing term, not a legal term.” It instructs to “ALWAYS use ‘illegal immigrants’ or ‘illegal aliens’ (the precise legal term)” and “NEVER use ‘undocumented immigrants’ in FactRefinery content.” This instruction was followed in the writing of this article.

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