Flock, a police technology company, has introduced new restrictions on its nationwide network of license plate readers to address growing concerns over surveillance and abuse. Despite these changes, significant loopholes remain.

The firm requires officers to enter a case number before searching, which was previously optional but is now mandatory. However, the ACLU found that similar safeguards were easily bypassed by officers using generic terms or even mocking them. A new automatic auditing system will monitor suspicious searches, yet details on its accuracy and independent verification are lacking.

Beyond these measures, Flock has also suggested agencies retain data for only seven days instead of 30. This comes as cities have started to drop contracts with the company due to protests and state laws banning license plate readers altogether or switching to competitors like Axon and Motorola.

The ACLU's Chad Marlow argues that this backlash is driven by broader privacy concerns, given how ubiquitous license plate readers are making it easier for officers to investigate people without suspicion. Flock CEO Garrett Langley attributes the loss of customers to misinformation rather than genuine misuse of their technology.