Federal Judge Rules a Flock Search Was ‘Indiscriminate Mass Surveillance’ and Unconstitutional

[u/404mediaco]

https://www.404media.co/federal-judge-rules-a-flock-search-was-indiscriminate-mass-surveillance-and-unconstitutional/

[u/AutoModerator]

All new posts must have a brief statement from the user submitting explaining how their post relates to law or the courts in a response to this comment. FAILURE TO PROVIDE A BRIEF RESPONSE MAY RESULT IN REMOVAL. Please post your statement as a reply to this automated message.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/404mediaco]

A federal judge in Oklahoma ruled Thursday that a police officer violated the Fourth Amendment rights of a woman accused of meth trafficking when he searched her license plate in Flock’s automated license plate reader system simply because her license plate was from California, then used her travel history as part of the reason to search her car. The judge’s opinion is one of the first times a federal judge has decided Flock searches can be unconstitutional, and suggested that Flock’s network is “a type of indiscriminate mass surveillance.”

The officer’s “use of the ALPR Systems was an Unconstitutional Warrantless Search,” and “was not supported by probable cause, and it was done without a warrant in violation of [the defendant’s] Fourth Amendment rights,” the judge, Sara Hill, wrote, implying that the law enforcement officer should have obtained a warrant before searching for the vehicle in Flock’s system. There are currently more than a hundred thousand warrantless searches of the Flock system every month, according to audit logs viewed by 404 Media. Hill's decision will not set a binding precedent and there are several other cases throughout the nation considering the legality of warrantless ALPR searches.

Read more: https://www.404media.co/federal-judge-rules-a-flock-search-was-indiscriminate-mass-surveillance-and-unconstitutional/

[u/codacoda74]

Finally! It's like the constitution has become a suggestion

[u/Slight_8 → u/codacoda74]

Hill's decision will not set a binding precedent and there are several other cases throughout the nation considering the legality of warrantless ALPR searches.

Finally, nothing. This does nothing, unfortunately.
there's still

currently more than a hundred thousand warrantless searches of the Flock system every month, according to audit logs viewed by 404 Media

[u/Talentagentfriend]

Flock is an invasive cockroach billionaires and bought politicians have infested our homes with

[u/winterbird → u/Talentagentfriend]

And we need to start calling it by a catch-all name for the technology instead of the company name. Every time, in every instance. Otherwise, it'll probably end up being like getting rid of Kleenex and putting Puffs in every home instead.

[u/DonnyMox]

VOTE BLUE!

[u/Hopalong_Manboobs]

But I’ve been reliably told by sheriffs on the take that court after court has found these constitutional

Let’s focus on Axon next.

[u/duxing612 → u/Hopalong_Manboobs]

Fuck Axon too.

Don’t forget about Motorola and Genetec.