A retired San Francisco schoolteacher has taken legal action against the city, claiming that they are running a surveillance system that violates citizens’ Fourth Amendment rights. Michael Moore filed a federal class-action lawsuit alleging that the city’s Flock license-plate reader system unlawfully tracks his movements without a warrant or probable cause.
The lawsuit states that San Francisco has installed hundreds of Flock cameras along major roadways, making it nearly impossible to drive anywhere in the city without having your license plate photographed and stored in a centralized database. This database collects over 1 billion license-plate reads each month across thousands of communities, potentially allowing law enforcement agencies to track residents’ movements.
According to the complaint, the cameras create a detailed record of drivers’ movements, associations, and routines without legal authorization. The lawsuit also alleges that any San Francisco Police Department officer can access the database with minimal oversight, leading to concerns about privacy and misuse of data.
San Francisco police have admitted that out-of-state agencies, including those in Texas and Georgia, have accessed the city’s license plate data, with some searches linked to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This sharing of data raises concerns about unchecked surveillance and potential violations of California law and the city’s sanctuary policies.
Jen Kwart, a spokesperson for the City Attorney’s Office, confirmed that this is the first legal challenge to San Francisco’s surveillance cameras. The city has taken steps to prevent law enforcement agencies outside of California from accessing the data but will review the complaint once served.
Moore is seeking a federal judge to shut down the camera system, delete collected data, and require a warrant before using Flock cameras to collect information. The lawsuit highlights the importance of protecting privacy rights and ensuring that surveillance technology is used responsibly and within legal boundaries.
