How the American revolt against Flock cameras mirrors the Boston Tea Party of 1773

A growing, bipartisan backlash against automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, has led activists in at least 36 states to disable or destroy the AI-powered cameras rather than wait for local governments to cancel contracts. More than 130,000 ALPRs operate on US streets, over 5,000 police agencies use cameras from manufacturer Flock Safety, and documented abuses include officers using camera data to stalk women and departments illegally sharing data with ICE.

A historian draws parallels to colonial resistance against British surveillance and revenue enforcement before the American Revolution, including the Boston Tea Party and the vigilante tarring of a British loyalist. Florida's Department of Transportation revoked highway ALPR permits in September 2026 amid the public backlash, while Flock's CEO has publicly invoked Benjamin Franklin's liberty-versus-safety quote in the company's defense.

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