Flock Safety AI License Plate Readers and UK Smart Glasses Raise Surveillance Concerns

Flock Safety, a private surveillance technology firm, markets AI‑powered automated license‑plate readers that capture detailed vehicle information—make, model, colour, stickers and more—and store it in searchable databases. Deployed in thousands of U.S. communities, the system uses artificial intelligence to identify, categorize and generate alerts for law‑enforcement investigations.

Separately, legal analysts warn that emerging smart wearables, such as smart glasses equipped with concealed cameras, microphones and AI assistants, could undermine the United Kingdom’s data‑protection regime. Because these devices are virtually invisible, they challenge the transparency and consent requirements of the UK GDPR, raising new privacy and autonomy concerns.