Crow's Nest
Friday, October 30, 2026 · The digital civil-liberties brief · View on the web
Twenty-six Maryland law enforcement agencies logged at least 4.8 billion license plate scans.
Capital News Service reports Maryland police automated license-plate cameras captured 4.8 billion scans in 2025, storing drivers' travel times, locations, and routes in law enforcement databases. (CNS Maryland)
ANALYSIS Maryland Police License Plate Readers Logged 4.8 Billion Scans, Raising Data Privacy Questions (Maryland Daily Record)
Top
- Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers vetoes the council's decision to end Flock Safety contracts. (Mid Hudson News)
- NYPD canceled plans for a $750,000 contract for vehicle-mounted cell-site simulators. (Hoodline)
- General Motors will pay $220 million over claims it sold driver data. (theverge.com)
- Ofcom says UK social media users may face passport ID checks. (bigbrotherwatch.org.uk)
- France's CNIL fined Fnac Darty €7 million for using mobile app trackers. (noyb.eu)
Under the radar
Flock watch
- Wausau City Council directs police to halt Flock surveillance camera use. (La Crosse Tribune)
- Alameda County supervisors approve a 10-year deal for two Flock drone stations. (East Bay Times)
- A Newark police officer searched a single license plate over 1,000 times. (The Columbus Dispatch)
- Penn State's student government voted unanimously opposing over 20 Flock cameras. (The Daily Collegian)
- The Hotchkiss Board of Trustees voted unanimously to end its Flock contracts. (WesternSlopeNow.com)
Surveillance & Privacy
- DDoSecrets published internal records of over 40,000 DHS employees. (The Hill)
- Papillion Police unveiled a real-time crime center to view drone footage. (KMTV 3 News Now Omaha)
- The Ninth Circuit weighed an appeal over police recording a patient's body. (courthousenews.com)
- A commentary argues the Trump administration expands surveillance of immigrants and protesters. (Project Syndicate)
Coming Up
Fri Oct 30 · DEADLINE · Alexandria, VA — Alexandria Police Department deactivates all 61 Flock license plate reader cameras (FOX 5 DC)
Fri Oct 30 · DEADLINE · Dutchess County, NY — Deadline for Flock Safety to remove its automated license plate reader equipment from Dutchess County (The Millerton News)
Fri Oct 30 · DEADLINE · Dutchess County, New York — Flock Group Inc. must remove all hardware under county demand notice (Mid Hudson News)
Fri Oct 30 · DEADLINE · Lubbock, TX — Petition deadline to submit 2,410 verified signatures to force City Council consideration of an ordinance banning Flock ALPR cameras (lubbocklights.com)
Fri Oct 30 · TAKES EFFECT · Lead, SD — Ordinance banning automated license plate readers takes effect (NewsCenter1)
Fri Oct 30 · TAKES EFFECT · Alexandria, Virginia — The City of Alexandria will shut down all 61 of its Flock license plate reader cameras (FOX 5 DC)
Speech & Press
- The Fourth Circuit strikes down West Virginia's law banning publishing addresses of officials. (reason.com)
- Lindsay Clancy's defense opposed a Massachusetts gag order restricting attorney speech. (Cape Cod Times)
- A judge orders the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to release jail death surveillance video. (News4JAX)
Useful
California data broker registry — Every broker that sells Californians' data has to register here. The list is public and works as a directory for everyone else too.
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