GTA V mod introduces virtual Flock surveillance cameras

Artist Morry Kolman, known online as WTTDOTM, has created a new mod for Grand Theft Auto V titled ‘Grand Theft Automated License Plate Reader’ (GTALPR). The mod installs 235 virtual Flock license plate reader cameras throughout the fictional city of Los Santos, allowing players to experience a heightened sense of surveillance.

In the game, players have the option to destroy the cameras for in-game currency. Kolman stated that the project is intended to make the concept of surveillance tangible, describing the addition of cameras as creating a ‘passive layer of hostility’ within a familiar environment.

The mod is inspired by real-world Flock technology, which law enforcement uses to track vehicles on watchlists. While proponents argue the technology aids in locating wanted individuals, civil liberties groups like the ACLU have raised concerns regarding mass surveillance. Kolman modeled the number of cameras in the mod to be one-tenth of the actual Flock camera count in Los Angeles County to reflect the scale of the fictional city.