Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
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In Today's Episode:
There's a good chance one of these cameras is on your street right now. Maybe at the end of your road. And the company behind them will tell you they're there to stop crime... which raises the obvious question of why a crime-fighting tool needs to know what bumper stickers are on your car, what dents it has, and everywhere it's been for the last two years.
This is a look at Flock Safety, the little license plate camera that quietly went up in thousands of American towns, what the thing actually is under the hood, who really pays for it and why, and what happens when a tool like this ends up in the wrong hands. It's one of the rare things Americans on every side of the aisle seem to agree on lately. By the end, you might look at the one down your street a little differently.
The Team:
Producer ► Caleb & Jon (instagram.com/jonfrie)
Writer ► Caleb
Editors ► Tara (twitter.com/buttritoh) & Squeaky (youtube.com/@ThatSqueaky)
Thumbnailer ► Trey (instagram.com/treytrimble)
Subscribe to these!
• Side Channel ► youtube.com/@oompayt
• Candy Channel ► youtube.com/@sourboysgg
• TLS Channel ► youtube.com/@toolateshowlive
Follow these!
• Insta ► instagram.com/oompavilleig
• Twitter ► twitter.com/oompaville
Video Chapters:
0:00 It Wants To Take Your Picture
1:57 The Cameras Aren't The Product
4:10 It's Basically A Phone
7:32 Fingerprinting Your Car
11:24 The Neighbor Who Built An Empire
13:48 Who Wrote The Check
16:10 Ninety Five Thousand Cameras
17:46 The Data Is The Business
22:25 How Is Any Of This Legal
24:41 The Case Thrown Out
28:15 The Crime Stat That Falls Apart
32:52 Spying On Their Exes
40:34 Watching The Protesters
45:22 The People Fighting Back
51:42 The Body Camera Company
References:
Atlanta Community Press Collective Investigation: atlpresscollective.com/2025/06/01/flock-safety-surveillance
EFF Surveillance Abuses 2025 Review: eff.org/deeplinks/2025/12/effs-investigations-expose-flock-safetys-surveillance-abuses-2025-review
404 Media Cameras Exposed To Internet: 404media.co/flock-exposed-its-ai-powered-cameras-to-the-internet-we-tracked-ourselves
Washington Post Police Spied On Exes: washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/08/02/how-police-officers-used-vast-network-cameras-spy-their-exes
Forbes Flock May Not Reduce Crime: forbes.com/sites/cyrusfarivar/2024/02/29/flock-ai-cameras-may-not-reduce-crime
Guardian John Oliver On Surveillance: theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/aug/03/john-oliver-police-surveillance-cameras
Guardian Flock Camera Interactive Map: theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jul/25/flock-surveillance-cameras
Mother Jones Police Losing Jobs Over ALPRs: motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/police-losing-jobs-flock-cameras-alprs
Institute For Justice Plate Readers Used To Stalk: ij.org/police-have-reportedly-used-license-plate-readers-to-stalk-romantic-interests-at-least-14-times-in-recent-years
NPR Flock Contracts Canceled: npr.org/2026/02/17/nx-s1-5612825/flock-contracts-canceled-immigration-survillance-concerns
CNN Camera Vandalism Protests: cnn.com/2026/07/30/us/flock-camera-vandalism-protests-cec
Tech Brew Backlash And Stalking Problem: techbrew.com/stories/flock-cameras-backlash-stalking-problem
Business Insider Flock Cameras Explained: businessinsider.com/flock-cameras-license-plate-readers-explained-2026-8
Roger Williams Law Review Unconstitutionality Of Flock: https://docs.rwu.edu/rwu_LR/vol31/iss3/7
UC Davis Law Networked Vigilante Surveillance: https://law.ucdavis.edu/faculty-blog/rise-networked-vigilante-surveillance
BGS Law Fourth Amendment Third-Party Doctrine: bgsglaw.com/blog/2024/02/what-to-know-about-the-fourth-amendments-third-party-doctrine
Virginian-Pilot Norfolk Judge Rejects Flock Evidence: pilotonline.com/2024/06/15/one-nation-under-watch-norfolk-judge-rejects-police-flock-camera-evidence-without-warrant
RoadSigns How Many Flock Cameras: roadsigns.com/blogs/resources/how-many-flock-cameras-are-there
Axon Flock Partnership Announcement: investor.axon.com/2020-04-02-Axon-Partners-with-Flock-Safety-to-Enhance-Security-for-Cities-and-Neighborhoods
Have I Been Flocked Tool: haveibeenflocked.com
WaPo Man Charged Destroying Cameras: washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/08/06/man-charged-with-destroying-flock-cameras-found-army-defenders-facebook
For any business inquiries reach out here brands@sour.gg
#oompaville
Join the Gump Club! gump.club Exclusive content, Discord, and more.
Try our candy! sour.gg Made in the USA with unique flavors every month.
Play Legend Of Zalk! apps.apple.com/us/app/legend-of-zalk/id6745826740
In Today's Episode:
There's a good chance one of these cameras is on your street right now. Maybe at the end of your road. And the company behind them will tell you they're there to stop crime... which raises the obvious question of why a crime-fighting tool needs to know what bumper stickers are on your car, what dents it has, and everywhere it's been for the last two years.
This is a look at Flock Safety, the little license plate camera that quietly went up in thousands of American towns, what the thing actually is under the hood, who really pays for it and why, and what happens when a tool like this ends up in the wrong hands. It's one of the rare things Americans on every side of the aisle seem to agree on lately. By the end, you might look at the one down your street a little differently.
The Team:
Producer ► Caleb & Jon (instagram.com/jonfrie)
Writer ► Caleb
Editors ► Tara (twitter.com/buttritoh) & Squeaky (youtube.com/@ThatSqueaky)
Thumbnailer ► Trey (instagram.com/treytrimble)
Subscribe to these!
• Side Channel ► youtube.com/@oompayt
• Candy Channel ► youtube.com/@sourboysgg
• TLS Channel ► youtube.com/@toolateshowlive
Follow these!
• Insta ► instagram.com/oompavilleig
• Twitter ► twitter.com/oompaville
Video Chapters:
0:00 It Wants To Take Your Picture
1:57 The Cameras Aren't The Product
4:10 It's Basically A Phone
7:32 Fingerprinting Your Car
11:24 The Neighbor Who Built An Empire
13:48 Who Wrote The Check
16:10 Ninety Five Thousand Cameras
17:46 The Data Is The Business
22:25 How Is Any Of This Legal
24:41 The Case Thrown Out
28:15 The Crime Stat That Falls Apart
32:52 Spying On Their Exes
40:34 Watching The Protesters
45:22 The People Fighting Back
51:42 The Body Camera Company
References:
Atlanta Community Press Collective Investigation: atlpresscollective.com/2025/06/01/flock-safety-surveillance
EFF Surveillance Abuses 2025 Review: eff.org/deeplinks/2025/12/effs-investigations-expose-flock-safetys-surveillance-abuses-2025-review
404 Media Cameras Exposed To Internet: 404media.co/flock-exposed-its-ai-powered-cameras-to-the-internet-we-tracked-ourselves
Washington Post Police Spied On Exes: washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/08/02/how-police-officers-used-vast-network-cameras-spy-their-exes
Forbes Flock May Not Reduce Crime: forbes.com/sites/cyrusfarivar/2024/02/29/flock-ai-cameras-may-not-reduce-crime
Guardian John Oliver On Surveillance: theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/aug/03/john-oliver-police-surveillance-cameras
Guardian Flock Camera Interactive Map: theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jul/25/flock-surveillance-cameras
Mother Jones Police Losing Jobs Over ALPRs: motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/police-losing-jobs-flock-cameras-alprs
Institute For Justice Plate Readers Used To Stalk: ij.org/police-have-reportedly-used-license-plate-readers-to-stalk-romantic-interests-at-least-14-times-in-recent-years
NPR Flock Contracts Canceled: npr.org/2026/02/17/nx-s1-5612825/flock-contracts-canceled-immigration-survillance-concerns
CNN Camera Vandalism Protests: cnn.com/2026/07/30/us/flock-camera-vandalism-protests-cec
Tech Brew Backlash And Stalking Problem: techbrew.com/stories/flock-cameras-backlash-stalking-problem
Business Insider Flock Cameras Explained: businessinsider.com/flock-cameras-license-plate-readers-explained-2026-8
Roger Williams Law Review Unconstitutionality Of Flock: https://docs.rwu.edu/rwu_LR/vol31/iss3/7
UC Davis Law Networked Vigilante Surveillance: https://law.ucdavis.edu/faculty-blog/rise-networked-vigilante-surveillance
BGS Law Fourth Amendment Third-Party Doctrine: bgsglaw.com/blog/2024/02/what-to-know-about-the-fourth-amendments-third-party-doctrine
Virginian-Pilot Norfolk Judge Rejects Flock Evidence: pilotonline.com/2024/06/15/one-nation-under-watch-norfolk-judge-rejects-police-flock-camera-evidence-without-warrant
RoadSigns How Many Flock Cameras: roadsigns.com/blogs/resources/how-many-flock-cameras-are-there
Axon Flock Partnership Announcement: investor.axon.com/2020-04-02-Axon-Partners-with-Flock-Safety-to-Enhance-Security-for-Cities-and-Neighborhoods
Have I Been Flocked Tool: haveibeenflocked.com
WaPo Man Charged Destroying Cameras: washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/08/06/man-charged-with-destroying-flock-cameras-found-army-defenders-facebook
For any business inquiries reach out here brands@sour.gg
#oompaville
