Canadian YouTuber builds police-tracking camera, prompting privacy concerns from law enforcement

Background on Flock Safety and Surveillance Expansion

Flock Safety, an American public safety technology company, recently expanded its centralized national surveillance network to over 120,000 cameras operating across 49 states. The company says the system captures billions of vehicle scans each month. Critics argue Flock has quietly built a massive government surveillance network without public vote or federal oversight, allowing any police department in the network to search across state lines.

Researcher Maps Flock Cameras, Raises Alarms

Security researchers later mapped 335,701 Flock cameras and created a public Flock surveillance map exposing their locations. Sistilli detailed his build in several TikTok videos, describing it as a personal Flock camera for „Flock the Flockers.” He then posted a video showing the device in real-world use.

Police Visit Following Viral Video

The video brought Peel Regional Police, the local force serving Sistilli’s city of Brampton, Ontario, to his door two weeks later. One officer reportedly said it would be frightening for them if people could learn where officers live, when they go on patrol, and what they do during the day, adding that such powerful information could put personnel at risk from anyone wishing to track them for harmful purposes.

Sistilli Highlights Citizen Privacy Concerns

Sistilli emphasized these are exactly the concerns ordinary citizens feel about constant surveillance, suggesting more policies and safeguards are needed around such networks. Police responded that they likely could not implement such a system effectively without revealing details about active criminal investigations.

Public Backlash and Camera Removal Efforts

Following multiple investigative reports revealing misuse of the Flock database—including cases of stalking ex-partners and acquaintances—public backlash led to physical resistance, with residents covering or destroying cameras. Several municipalities, including major hubs like Los Angeles and Fullerton, have suspended or outright canceled their Flock contracts due to privacy concerns.

Flock Defends Network, Critics Dispute Crime Reduction Claims

Flock and its supporters insist the network has helped reduce crime, a claim critics say misrepresents the data. Sistilli’s video also details what he describes as aggressive, possibly deceptive marketing tactics Flock uses to persuade municipalities to adopt the cameras.

Data Collection and Encryption Practices

Another issue centers on data collection and handling. The company says its cameras are protected by on-device encryption and store only brief images before transmitting them to its servers.