(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) The council of Jackson, Wyoming, voted to implement a surveillance system largely run by artificial intelligence, making the town the first in its state to make use of such technology.
According to the Daily Wire, the council agreed to install 30 solar-powered license plate recognition cameras along streets and on traffic lights. The cameras fed a centralized surveillance system managed by Flock Safety, a private company specializing in the LPR technology.
Even councilmembers who voted to support the measure expressed reservations about where the surveillance was headed. “I don’t like this particular arc of this particular part of history,” Councilman Jonathan Schechter said. “I’m screaming ‘stop’ as I vote ‘yes.’”
The AI-run cameras can send law enforcement instant alerts when they detect illegal activity. Flock Safety introduced the LPR tech as part of their “Falcon” line, which came from their larger AI-powered surveillance system, known as “TALON.”
The other technology in the TALON package detected gunshots, breaking glass and screeching tires; searched through police footage for suspects; and even provided zooming and live feed capabilities.
Flock Safety explained that the tech only captured images of license plates—which was legally required to be deleted after 30 days—and did not gather information on humans.
However, CEO and co-founder Gerrett Langely previously stated that the technology may assist U.S. Border Patrol officers in the deportation of illegal immigrants.
Over 2,000 cities in 43 states have installed Flock Safety cameras since their founding in 2017. The company started by marketing to private citizens, allowing them to share footage in real time with police officers. They were remarkably popular as a security measure within homeowners associations.
A recent CATO survey revealed that many young people are increasingly in favor of greater government surveillance—even on private property and in personal homes.
While 75% of Americans were against the idea, 33% of Generation Z (adults under the age of 30) expressed favor for the idea of government-sponsored security cameras in the home.
Several private companies are ahead of the curve, as people continue to purchase technology such as Amazon Alexa.
Both Amazon and Microsoft both faced fines of millions of dollars for collecting private data on children.
TikTok was also an area of concern, and recently faced federal investigation in both the United States and the United Kingdom for data mining and storing private information from its users.
