With all the controversy surrounding Flock surveillance cameras these days, it was only a matter of time before people came up with ways to fight back.
One of them, YouTuber Studio Hotrods, has now invented a device that makes his vehicle’s license plate temporarily disappear whenever he drives past one of the controversial cameras. Perhaps even more interestingly, he built the device using parts he bought on Amazon. He calls his invention “self-defense technology” against Flock cameras.
“How about a little bit of digital defense, right?” he asks in a video demonstrating his invention. “You’re always getting taped. You’re always getting tracked.”
YouTuber Creates Device That Hides License Plates From Flock Cameras
The invention, dubbed the “Flock-O-Matic,” uses a piece of smart glass that covers the vehicle’s license plate. The system also uses an Arduino computer, GPS technology and an SD card containing Flock camera locations.
According to Jalopnik, the glass stays transparent when it receives electricity but turns opaque when the power is interrupted.
When a vehicle with his invention on it approaches one of those locations, the computer briefly interrupts power to the glass, making the license plate unreadable. At least, that’s the idea.
Studio Hotrods took the invention on the road to see whether it actually worked. Footage recorded by another vehicle appeared to show the license plate becoming obscured as he passed a Flock camera.
“The good news is the idea, the proof of concept worked for sure,” he said.
However, he admitted that the timing still needs adjustment, and the test didn’t establish whether the Flock camera actually failed to capture his plate.
The Invention Could Create Some Serious Legal Problems
One significant problem with the Flock-O-Matic: It might be illegal.
The inventor acknowledges he doesn’t know whether his device is legal and says he isn’t selling it while he researches the issue and pursues a patent.
Jalopnik reports that eight states, including Illinois, where the test vehicle is registered, prohibit license plate covers. Other states also restrict anything that obstructs a plate.
The inventor’s concerns about Flock cameras, however, aren’t uncommon.
Florida resident Lindsey Isaacs recently told Congress she spent 13 days in jail after investigators mistakenly connected her vehicle to a fatal crash using Flock camera footage.
Another engineer built his own Flock-style surveillance camera to track police vehicles, prompting a visit from law enforcement.
Meanwhile, an Illinois college covered its Flock cameras after the company reportedly refused to remove them.
Studio Hotrods insists he supports police but believes the cameras raise serious Fourth Amendment concerns.
“I don’t think they should be tracking us,” he said.
It remains unclear whether his invention will ever be available to the public. Given the legal questions surrounding it, anyone interested in buying one might want to wait for a few answers first.