Flock Safety's Proposal to Use Uber and Lyft Drivers for Mobile Surveillance Raises Privacy Concerns
Flock Safety, a company known for its network of automatic license plate readers, proposed a plan to expand its surveillance capabilities by using Uber, Lyft, and delivery drivers as mobile data collectors. According to a presentation obtained by 404 Media, Flock aimed to equip these drivers' vehicles with dashcams capable of scanning license plates, thereby extending its surveillance network beyond fixed cameras. The proposal involved a partnership with Nexar, a dashcam manufacturer whose products are already popular among rideshare drivers. Although Flock stated that the deal with Nexar was never implemented, the presentation highlights the company's ambition to leverage approximately 350,000 vehicles for data collection. This plan was shared with Georgia's attorney general's office, raising questions about the extent of data collection and whether drivers were aware of their potential role in this surveillance network. 
