Protect the 4th Amendment, end Surveillance in Lynchburg!
Dear Lynchburg City Council,
We the citizens of Lynchburg are aware of roughly 30 Automated License Plate Cameras in and around the perimeter of the city. We feel this is a violation of our privacy and our 4th Amendment as access to the data collected do not require a warrant.
There are roughly 90,000 cameras owned by this company, Flock, Inc., in the United States and Lynchburg's are feeding the same database as all the rest. So, not only is this warrantless surveillance but the data is subject being accessed by the Federal Government, Flock, Inc. itself, other state governments and even foreign actors that could hack into the system.
Each camera is capable of taking 2,000 images per minute and typically takes 12 images of each passing car, making a short video essentially of the car. This often results in images of people inside the car and passengers. Not only do these AI powered surveillance cameras watch every vehicle and their license plate they log the date, time, location, make, model, color of car and even specific patterns of bumper stickers and roof racks to make a digital "fingerprint" of each vehicle. The "Fingerprint" is actually a patented term that Flock brags about in their sales of these cameras.
Moreover, there is a growing anger among citizens about data centers. These AI powered ALPR spy devices feed the need for more and more data centers, making ALPR's a double whammy when it comes to upsetting citizens.
ALPR's have been accessed by Federal Government agencies such as the ATF, DHS and ICE to name a few. They have been accessed despite state law to the contrary, making laws against this futile and therefore meaning regulations are not suffice to stop violations.
We the citizens of Lynchburg demand that these mass surveillance cameras come down and the contract be ended with Flock, Inc. We also demand that an ordinance be passed to prevent any surveillance systems that can identify individual characteristics from being installed without rigorous public hearings.
Regards,
Your Citizens
18 Comments
It would be better for the police if we all wore GPS ankle monitors. These cameras are in many ways worse, as they have been logging our historical movements and predict future movements, identify our workplace, where we worship, seek healthcare, who our friends are, etc. The average Lynchburg citizen does not have even the slightest clue we are already living in a mass surveillance police state.
These cameras violate my 4th amendment rights and are a violation of my privacy.
If the founding fathers were aware, this technology would have existed in the future they would’ve clearly written against it in the constitution to deny its use. The fourth amendment could be considered the closest protection we have from it.
Flock cameras are not normal cameras. There are so many they have the ability to track a person's location with a high degree of accuracy. Virginia also has excluded accountability and over sight of these cameras. They must be removed.
It should be no one’s business where anyone chooses to go except those they choose to let know.
Because I don’t believe a private company and the Federal and State governments should have this kind of power
It is despicable to have a surveillance state in the commonwealth that was the birthplace of so many of our founding fathers. To give a private company access to every movement of us and our children is anti-American. The fact that those elected to protect and serve us have voluntarily subjected us to this surveillance is a serious breach of trust. And the fact that they’ve tried to hide the reality of ALPRs betray their real motive—tyranny. Sic Semper Tyrannis.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via . Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
By signing, you accept our Terms and Privacy Policy and agree to occasional emails about petitions. Unsubscribe anytime.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Protect the 4th Amendment, end Surveillance in Lynchburg!
Dear Lynchburg City Council,
We the citizens of Lynchburg are aware of roughly 30 Automated License Plate Cameras in and around the perimeter of the city. We feel this is a violation of our privacy and our 4th Amendment as access to the data collected do not require a warrant.
There are roughly 90,000 cameras owned by this company, Flock, Inc., in the United States and Lynchburg's are feeding the same database as all the rest. So, not only is this warrantless surveillance but the data is subject being accessed by the Federal Government, Flock, Inc. itself, other state governments and even foreign actors that could hack into the system.
Each camera is capable of taking 2,000 images per minute and typically takes 12 images of each passing car, making a short video essentially of the car. This often results in images of people inside the car and passengers. Not only do these AI powered surveillance cameras watch every vehicle and their license plate they log the date, time, location, make, model, color of car and even specific patterns of bumper stickers and roof racks to make a digital "fingerprint" of each vehicle. The "Fingerprint" is actually a patented term that Flock brags about in their sales of these cameras.
Moreover, there is a growing anger among citizens about data centers. These AI powered ALPR spy devices feed the need for more and more data centers, making ALPR's a double whammy when it comes to upsetting citizens.
ALPR's have been accessed by Federal Government agencies such as the ATF, DHS and ICE to name a few. They have been accessed despite state law to the contrary, making laws against this futile and therefore meaning regulations are not suffice to stop violations.
We the citizens of Lynchburg demand that these mass surveillance cameras come down and the contract be ended with Flock, Inc. We also demand that an ordinance be passed to prevent any surveillance systems that can identify individual characteristics from being installed without rigorous public hearings.
Regards,
Your Citizens
18 Comments
These cameras catch innocent people like the man in Colorado who repeatedly gets stopped and no one knows how to remove him from the national database.
It would be better for the police if we all wore GPS ankle monitors. These cameras are in many ways worse, as they have been logging our historical movements and predict future movements, identify our workplace, where we worship, seek healthcare, who our friends are, etc. The average Lynchburg citizen does not have even the slightest clue we are already living in a mass surveillance police state.
These cameras violate my 4th amendment rights and are a violation of my privacy.
If the founding fathers were aware, this technology would have existed in the future they would’ve clearly written against it in the constitution to deny its use. The fourth amendment could be considered the closest protection we have from it.
Flock cameras are not normal cameras. There are so many they have the ability to track a person's location with a high degree of accuracy. Virginia also has excluded accountability and over sight of these cameras. They must be removed.
It should be no one’s business where anyone chooses to go except those they choose to let know.
Because I don’t believe a private company and the Federal and State governments should have this kind of power
It is despicable to have a surveillance state in the commonwealth that was the birthplace of so many of our founding fathers. To give a private company access to every movement of us and our children is anti-American. The fact that those elected to protect and serve us have voluntarily subjected us to this surveillance is a serious breach of trust. And the fact that they’ve tried to hide the reality of ALPRs betray their real motive—tyranny. Sic Semper Tyrannis.
Help this petition grow
Share it with friends to help reach 100 signatures.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via .
Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
Signing with Google or Facebook verifies your signature instantly — no email needed.
By signing, you accept our Terms and Privacy Policy and agree to occasional emails about petitions. Unsubscribe anytime.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
These cameras catch innocent people like the man in Colorado who repeatedly gets stopped and no one knows how to remove him from the national database.