YouTuber Says Cops Visited Him After He Built a Flock-Style Camera to Track Cops
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
A YouTuber built a Flock-style camera to track police cars, prompting a police visit.
Canadian software engineer and YouTuber Anthony Sistilli built his own automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) camera in Brampton, Ontario, to track police car movements. He posted videos on TikTok, calling it a "personal Flock surveillance camera to Flock the Flockers." Peel Regional Police officers visited his home to ask about his "intentions" for the data. Sistilli noted the irony, as officers expressed concern that such data could reveal where they live and their daily routines. Flock-style cameras have been controversial due to misuse by law enforcement, including stalking ex-partners and harassing immigrants.
What commenters are saying
Commenters largely sympathize with Sistilli, highlighting the double standard that police use Flock cameras to track the public but object when the public tracks them. Some argue recording in public is legally permissible for civilians. A key split: some say police have legitimate authority for their work, while others insist the same privacy rules should apply to all. The incident occurred in Canada, but commenters note U.S. analogies and question why police opposed a system they defend when used on citizens.