In November 2024, a software engineer from Huntsville, Alabama launched a project to map every automated license plate reader (ALPR) in the world. Within months, the surveillance industry tried to shut him down.
What Is DeFlock?
DeFlock is an open-source project built on OpenStreetMap that crowd-sources the locations of ALPR cameras — the automated scanners that log every passing vehicle's license plate, time, location, and direction of travel.
As of early 2026, the project has mapped 16,000+ ALPR cameras worldwide, including Flock Safety, Motorola, and other manufacturer units.
Key features:
Interactive map at deflock.org/map showing camera locations globally
Privacy-optimized routing at maps.deflock.org to plan routes that avoid ALPR cameras
Mobile app available on Google Play
ATAK plugin for tactical/military use
ALPR explainer at deflock.org/what-is-an-alpr
The Creator
Will Freeman, a software engineer from Huntsville, Alabama, founded the project in early 2024. He started by mapping cameras in his own city, then opened it up for crowd-sourced contributions. The project quickly gained traction among privacy advocates, journalists, and researchers.
When Flock Fought Back
In February 2025, Flock Safety — the $4.6 billion surveillance company behind the largest ALPR network in the US — sent Freeman a cease-and-desist letter demanding he remove all Flock camera locations from his map.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) took up Freeman's case and responded to Flock's legal threats. The EFF argued that mapping publicly visible cameras on public streets is protected speech. DeFlock remains fully operational.
This is not the first time a surveillance company has tried to silence its critics. It is, however, one of the most brazen examples of a corporation attempting to prevent citizens from knowing where they are being watched.
Why ALPRs Are a Privacy Problem
Flock Safety operates 80,000+ cameras across 5,000+ law enforcement agencies in 49 states. The company scans approximately 20 billion vehicles per month.
Each scan creates a permanent record of:
Your license plate number
The exact GPS coordinates where your vehicle was spotted
The date and time
The direction you were traveling
Over time, this data creates a detailed movement profile — where you live, where you work, where you shop, who you visit, when you travel, and how often. Flock retains this data indefinitely in many jurisdictions.
The scale is staggering: for roughly $2,500 per year per camera, any city can deploy a vehicle tracking network that would have been the envy of Cold War-era intelligence agencies.
The Growing Backlash
The pushback against ALPR surveillance is accelerating:
30+ cities have canceled Flock contracts since the start of 2025 (Politico, The Guardian)
San José, CA faces a class-action lawsuit alleging Fourth Amendment violations
Denver, CO rejected a $666,000 contract extension after public pressure
Evanston, IL terminated its contract entirely
Norfolk, VA saw a federal court uphold ALPR constitutionality — but the legal landscape remains unsettled
The EFF published a comprehensive investigation into Flock's surveillance abuses, including data sharing with ICE
Related Resources
Have I Been Flocked — Check Flock camera density in your county
Banish Big Brother — Another crowd-sourced camera map
EFF Surveillance Self-Defense Guide — Comprehensive digital privacy guide
Flock Safety coverage on 404 Media — Ongoing investigative reporting
What You Can Do
Check your area at deflock.org/map
Report cameras you find through the DeFlock app or website
Plan privacy routes using maps.deflock.org
Attend city council meetings when ALPR contracts come up for renewal
Read the EFF's guide on surveillance self-defense