Our privacy is fading. 

West Palm Beach has approved 83 cameras capable of full-time CCTV surveillance, replacing the City's existing 83-camera license plate reader network.

A common defense of these systems is: "It's just monitoring traffic."

Apparently, traffic monitoring requires full-time CCTV surveillance, the funding of at least 40 more cameras on private property, an AI-capable investigative platform, automated alerts, and a state records schedule that allows ALPR location records to be retained for up to 3 years. 

That's quite a traffic system. In fact, without coverage of all of our roads, how do we know traffic is being sufficiently monitored? We should have them everywhere. Every intersection. Every neighborhood. Every road in and out of the city.

I've got nothing to hide, right?

That's the trap. Let's follow that logic further, where exactly does it end? There will always be another road without a camera, another camera that could be connected. Another database that could be integrated. Another AI feature to make the system even better. A line has to be drawn somewhere in this endless pursuit of “safety”. The problem is, every time surveillance expands, we move the line along with it.

These are only the capabilities and numbers we can document at the moment. DeFlock WPB is still requesting records to determine the full scope of West Palm Beach's surveillance infrastructure. This includes what is getting collected, how long it's kept, who can search it, where it can be shared, and what safeguards are in place against misuse. 

The online discourse and news coverage of flock cameras yields plenty of alarming statistics. Proving those statistics locally is difficult, and national numbers dont tell you exactly what's happening on our streets. DeFlock WPB aims to find out what is happening here, document what we can prove, and keep locals informed.

Flock cameras aren't the only form of surveillance, and removing Flock tomorrow wouldn't make this problem disappear.

Here is a step-by-step list on how to calm the wildfire that is Flock camera backlash:

Step 1. Replace the logo on the camera.

Step 2. Change the company storing the data.

Step 3. Connect another CCTV system.

Step 4. Add another database.

Step 5. And most importantly, make the new infrastructure even more intrusive than the last. 

Surprise! That's what they're doing right now. 

Sign the petition to draw the line. 

Website - deflockwpb.org

Instagram - @deflockwpb