New Flock map locates 200,000 of the controversial cameras around the world

Privacy firm Proton has published a new Flock map The project details over 200,000 Flock cameras around the world It’s based on work by security researcher Joshua Michael Flock's automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras have barely been out of the news lately, from being used and abused to trac

<![CDATA[ <article> <ul><li><strong>Privacy firm Proton has published a new Flock map</strong></li><li><strong>The project details over 200,000 Flock cameras around the world</strong></li><li><strong>It’s based on work by security researcher Joshua Michael</strong></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.techradar.com/tech/flock-ceo-says-we-shouldnt-pause-progress-of-its-alpr-cameras-and-that-it-will-fire-any-law-breaking-police-customers-immediately">Flock's </a>automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras have barely been out of the news lately, from being <a href="https://www.techradar.com/tech/flocks-network-is-a-form-of-indiscriminate-mass-surveillance-judge-rules-as-police-officer-is-accused-of-violating-suspects-fourth-amendment-rights">used and abused</a> to track innocent people to allegedly encouraging stalking and <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/i-dont-remember-the-case-number-leave-me-alone-us-cops-ignore-flock-camera-oversight-probing-nationwide-surveillance-network-with-bogus-reasoning">police overreach</a>. If you're worried about running into them, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-services/proton-vpn-quietly-unveils-a-massive-under-the-hood-upgrade-heres-all-we-know-about-proton-protocols">privacy-focused firm Proton</a> has published a <a href="https://proton.me/flock-camera-map" target="_blank">Flock map</a> that details the location of every one of these cameras in the United States and further afield. </p><p>The map is based on data collected and compiled by <a href="https://flocksurveillance.org/" target="_blank">security researcher Joshua Michael</a>, who discovered that Flock was leaking the locations of its own cameras through its servers. Flock has attempted to have Michael’s research website taken down, but as of right now, both it and the Proton map are still available. </p><p>Proton’s Flock map updates with the number of Flock devices visible in the website’s viewport. Zooming out to show the entire globe returns 214,073 cameras in active use, with 213,712 of those being used in the United States and Canada. </p><p>You can enter your zip code to find nearby cameras, or filter the results by Flock devices that are currently in service, those that are planned, devices that have been decommissioned, and those with unknown status. Results can also be filtered by US state and whether they can read license plates or allow users to find people by entering freeform search terms. </p><p>If you click on a camera result on the map, Proton shows you the device’s location with exact longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates, plus the date that it was entered into the dataset.</p><h2 id="proton-and-deflock">Proton and DeFlock</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1920px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:48.54%;"><img id="J5KLTjRjLTmV7HmxnfZj9b" name="Flock map 1" alt="A map of Flock camera locations published by Proton." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/J5KLTjRjLTmV7HmxnfZj9b-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1920" height="932" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Proton)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Justifying its decision to publish the map data, Proton said that “You have a right to know who’s recording you when you leave home, especially when a private company controls the data and it’s unclear how law enforcement uses that information … Use it, make informed decisions about how you move through your own area and whether you need to reach out to your municipal leaders.” </p><p>It’s worth noting that Joshua Michael’s Flock map is probably an incomplete look at Flock’s inventory, as Michael made his map using a snapshot of data compiled in December 2025. </p><p>Michael says on his website that because this snapshot has been used as part of a research paper, Flock devices will not be added to it or removed from it. That means that any cameras that Flock has installed or decommissioned since December 2025 will not be visible on either Michael’s map or the one housed by Proton. </p><p>Although similar, there are some differences between the Michael/Proton map and the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/this-free-tool-is-helping-drivers-avoid-automatic-license-plate-readers-as-fears-grow-around-intrusive-new-devices-that-could-track-your-phone-airpod-and-smartwatch-data">DeFlock campaign</a>. The latter uses crowdsourced data to map ALPR cameras from Flock, but it also includes those from other companies (such as Genetec and Motorola) and has much more data for Canada than you’ll find on Michael’s map. However, at 144,457 devices in the US and 950 in Canada, DeFlock does not show anywhere as near as many cameras and sensors as the map you’ll find on Proton’s website. </p><p>Put together, though, the two mapping projects show the massive extent of Flock’s camera network. If you’re concerned that there’s more than just a tinge of Big Brother around ALPR systems, DeFlock and Proton’s latest effort could prove to be invaluable tools.</p> </article> ]]>