Onslow county! ALPR and Flock Safety Cameras Threaten Our Privacy
Hey guys!
I want to talk about something that affects every one of us, whether we realize it or not: the growing network of ALPR cameras and Flock Safety surveillance cameras being installed in communities across our communities in NC and across America.
Many people hear phrases like "public safety" or "crime prevention" and assume these cameras only target criminals. But that's not how these systems work.
These cameras don't just watch suspects. They watch everyone.
Every time you drive past one of these cameras, your license plate is recorded. The system notes where you were, when you were there, what direction you were traveling, and what kind of vehicle you drive. That information is then stored in a searchable database.
These cameras watch when were going to work, taking our children to school, attending church, visiting friends, going to medical appointments, or simply living our daily lives.
What concerns me is not just the camera itself. It's the database being built behind it.
Over time, these systems create a detailed map of our lives. They can reveal where we live, where we work, who we spend time with, what organizations we belong to, what doctors we visit, what religious services we attend, and what political events we participate in.
Guys please....Think about that for a moment.
No police officer needs to physically follow you anymore. A network of cameras can do it automatically.
And once that data exists, we lose control over how it may be used in the future.
Today we're told the cameras are for stolen cars and serious crimes. Tomorrow they could be used for something entirely different. History has shown us repeatedly that surveillance tools often expand beyond their original purpose.
This is called mission creep.
A system created for one reason gradually becomes a system used for many reasons.
These are not hypothetical concerns. These are real consequences of living under constant surveillance.
We are also being asked to place enormous trust in technology and databases that are not perfect.
Mistakes happen.
License plates can be misread.
Vehicles can be misidentified.
Data can be entered incorrectly.
When that happens, innocent people can become subjects of police attention through no fault of their own.
I personally watched a chilling video about a family of 6, babies and all being ripped out of their car and told to lay on the pavement in a store parking lot face down hands interlocked behind their head...AT GUNPOINT! Because one of these things made a mistake. This kind of could happen to anyone of us, our mother's grand mother's, our wives/partners and children...
Then there is the issue of data sharing.
In Apex NC more than 1000 agencies have access to the data stored in these cameras, the threat is real and it's living right next to us and it's headed right to our front door! I urge you to do your due diligence on these cameras, Google what you gotta Google look it up, these cameras are on walking trails, parks, everywhere. They're not just for license plates, never have been... They're for mass surveillance, to profile you and your families, the NC Bureau of Investigations is pushing lawmakers to have these cameras set up in abundance state wide not only that they're pushing for permanent contracts!, were running out of time guys, while we're not paying attention they're trying to take advantage and turn this into an authoritarian dystopian state, where everyone is survailed and profiled all the time. building a map of who you are prying into every corner of your life....
Too often, people like us are expected to accept these systems without receiving clear answers.
And perhaps the biggest concern of all is that we are slowly normalizing constant surveillance.
A free society should not require people to surrender their privacy every time they leave their homes.
Privacy is not something only criminals need.
Privacy is something everyone needs.
Privacy allows us to think freely, speak freely, associate freely, worship freely, and participate in our communities without fear of being tracked and monitored.
The question before us is not whether we want safe neighborhoods. Of course we do.
The question is whether we are willing to create permanent systems of mass surveillance in the process.
Once these networks are built, they are incredibly difficult to roll back.
Once years of location data have been collected, they cannot be uncollected.
Once constant monitoring becomes normal, future generations may never know what it was like to live without it.
I believe we can pursue public safety without sacrificing fundamental privacy rights.
I believe we can support law enforcement while still demanding transparency, accountability, oversight, and meaningful limits on surveillance.
Most importantly, I believe that the people of this community deserve a voice in deciding how much surveillance they are willing to accept. So...Please Guys I am begging you! Let's all band together, we need to march our A**es down to our local municipalities and fight for our privacy rights, we need to fight before it becomes too late. Please think of the future your kids will have if you don't stop them now! I'm begging you to take a stand. I know I'll be there, the question is will you?
Thank you.