More than 150 U.S. communities have now rejected, canceled or deactivated automated license plate reader systems, according to anti-surveillance project DeFlock, marking a sharp increase in the space of several weeks. DeFlock’s latest tracker lists 153 communities as “recent victories” in campaigns against automated license plate readers, or ALPRs. When Newsweek reported on the tracker in July, the total stood at 95.
DeFlock describes itself as an open-source project mapping license plate readers across the country. The growth follows mounting opposition to the cameras, produced by Atlanta-based Flock Safety, which are used by law enforcement to help identify vehicles associated with crime and investigations. Opponents have raised concerns about the scale of data collection, while proponents say the systems have become an effective tool for investigating crimes and finding suspects.
Flock Safety has previously pushed back against claims that its expanding network of ALPRs is contributing to a surveillance state. The company’s CEO Garrett Langley told Newsweek in a mid-August video interview that Flock's "end goal isn’t a dystopian future of surveillance; it’s one where we all feel safe." Newsweek contacted Flock Safety and DeFlock for comment on this article via email on Saturday morning. Lynchburg, Virginia, became one of the latest cities to act when its City Council voted 6-1 on Thursday to end its Flock contract, according to local broadcaster WSET.
The city stopped using 15 license plate-reading cameras and 55 gunshot-detection devices, it reported. WSET also reported that several Virginia sheriff’s offices took action in late August and early September. Amherst and Bedford counties suspended their systems until further notice; Appomattox County declined to renew its contract; Campbell and Giles counties terminated theirs; and Charlotte and Halifax counties temporarily paused use of the cameras.
In Texas, Wylie’s City Council voted unanimously on August 25 not to renew a Flock contract, CBS Texas reported. Mayor Matthew Porter said the devices could be useful in legitimate investigations but expressed concern about data storage and sharing with other departments. Asheville, North Carolina, separately voted 5-2 to end a contract covering 11 Flock cameras.
Blue Ridge Public Radio reported that the council did not prohibit the city’s use of other license plate readers supplied by Axon, another company. The dispute has also become an issue in the 2026 midterm elections, as reported by The (AP). Candidates from both major parties have advocated bans, funding restrictions or warrant requirements as they campaign for offices including governor, the Senate and the House.
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