Technology
Survey shows more Americans oppose police license plate cameras than support them
A new YouGov poll reveals a shift in public opinion toward surveillance cameras, as criticism of providers like Flock grows.
The short version
- A YouGov poll of 20,000 U.S. respondents shows 46% oppose surveillance cameras in their communities, while 38% support them.
- The results represent a reversal from the previous year, when a majority of respondents favored the technology.
- Surveillance provider Flock has faced contract cancellations and rising camera vandalism, prompting its CEO to call for a compromise on privacy.
Key facts
- A YouGov survey of 20,000 people in the U.S. found that 46% of respondents oppose local surveillance cameras, while 38% support them.[TechCrunch]
- The survey results indicate a reversal from the prior year, when a majority of respondents supported the cameras.[TechCrunch]
- Flock operates more than 120,000 license plate readers across the United States to track vehicle locations.[TechCrunch]
- Dozens of U.S. communities have canceled contracts or rejected Flock's technology following reports of police misuse and privacy concerns.[TechCrunch]
- Flock CEO Garrett Langley recently called for a compromise between surveillance and privacy following an increase in camera vandalism.[TechCrunch]
What remains uncertain
- Civil liberties groups, such as the ACLU, dispute the effectiveness of Flock's newly implemented privacy safeguards, calling them insufficient.[TechCrunch]