The Anti-Surveillance Movement
Musician, YouTuber, researcher, and investigative journalist Benn Jordan has spent decades producing experimental music. In recent years, however, he has emerged as a high-profile figure in the campaign investigating Flock Safety, a manufacturer of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) and the software operating them.
Benn Jordan on Flock, Privacy, and the New Surveillance Backlash
The musician and YouTuber on investigating the surveillance state and becoming the face of the anti-Flock movement.
Jordan recently testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism during a hearing dedicated to Flock and other ALPR systems. The hearing highlighted months of growing criticism and bipartisan pushback against the company.
The backlash has triggered significant consequences for Flock, with hundreds of local governments canceling contracts and the company facing an investigation by Republican Senator Josh Hawley. Recent reports indicate that Flock plans to reduce its workforce substantially.
Jordan argues that he does not harbor personal animosity toward Flock as an enterprise, viewing its defensive PR strategy as low-hanging fruit while competitors like Axon and Motorola quietly expand similar networks. He now maintains open communication channels with Flock executives, reporting discovered security vulnerabilities directly.
This outreach forms part of his broader objective to pursue tangible solutions to surveillance overreach rather than targeting a single corporate entity.
Private Networks and Public Oversight
A central theme in Jordan's work is the intricate relationship between private industry, government agencies, and law enforcement that often prioritizes secrecy over transparency.
Unlike traditional ALPR data sharing, which typically requires a magistrate judge to issue a warrant through the National Crime Information Center, Flock constructed a private nationwide network. Participating police departments can share data and access up to 30 days of historical movement tracking across the country without a warrant.
The underlying hardware of these cameras is relatively basic; the primary concern lies within the private database and the software architecture connecting law enforcement agencies.
Proponents of ALPR technology argue that increased camera density deters crime and lowers overall rates. However, criminologists note that effective policing often merely relocates criminal activity to areas lacking surveillance coverage.
Furthermore, critics point out that these systems primarily focus on property crimes and low-level offenses rather than systemic issues like embezzlement or corruption, frequently drawing nonviolent offenders deeper into the justice system.
Security Vulnerabilities
Beyond privacy concerns, Jordan and other security researchers have uncovered significant technical vulnerabilities within Flock's ecosystem. Early implementations lacked mandatory multi-factor authentication, and researchers discovered open administrative interfaces allowing unauthorized users to delete or view historical footage.
Jordan emphasizes that as private contractors like Flock, Axon, and Motorola establish proprietary networks, overall security relies entirely on the weakest security hygiene present on the network.
Toward Practical Solutions
Looking forward, Jordan advocates for practical compromises, such as open audit logs utilizing immutable data storage technologies and allowing citizens to opt out of tracking databases at the DMV.
He stresses that while dismantling surveillance entirely remains unlikely, demanding greater transparency, local accountability, and strict legal guardrails can help restore public trust and establish a balanced approach to modern technology.
