More Americans oppose police license plate cameras than support them: survey

In Brief

The increasing backlash against surveillance companies similar Flock whitethorn person reached a tipping point. A caller survey has recovered that much Americans reason these surveillance cameras than enactment it.

According to a caller YouGov survey of 20,000 radical crossed the U.S. that was shared exclusively with The Washington Post, 46% of respondents opposed the company’s surveillance cameras successful their communities, portion 38% supported them. This is simply a reversal from past year, erstwhile the bulk of survey respondents said they were successful favor.

Flock is 1 of the much disposable surveillance companies, operating much than 120,000 licence sheet readers crossed the U.S. that tin way the whereabouts of vehicles. The institution has been embroiled successful contention pursuing reports of constabulary abusing the cameras’ surveillance, which resulted successful dozens of U.S. communities rejecting Flock’s cameras oregon cancelling their contracts amid privateness concerns.

The survey besides reported that much respondents said the surveillance would not marque them consciousness immoderate safer.

When reached by TechCrunch, Flock claimed determination was wide enactment for its surveillance technology, but acknowledged that “support isn’t unconditional,” and touted the rollout of its recent safeguards. Critics, similar the ACLU, person said the company’s caller safeguards magnitude to little, and Flock remains a large menace to civilian liberties.

Amid the intensifying backlash, Flock CEO Garrett Langley past week called for a “compromise” betwixt surveillance and privacy, pursuing a emergence successful vandalism targeting Flock cameras.

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