San José Residents Sue Over Flock Safety Cameras

0:00Residents in San Jose just filed a federal lawsuit against the city over its flock safety cameras, claiming they create a massive surveillance network that violates the Fourth Amendment. The suit argues these license plate readers track everyone's movements without warrants or probable cause, turning routine drives into permanent records. They're pushing for class action status to represent all city residents whose plates get scanned and they want most data wiped after just 24 hours. This follows a state-level challenge last fall from civil liberties groups over similar privacy issues under California's Constitution. Across the U.S., more than two dozen cities like Santa Cruz have dropped flock contracts amid worries about data sharing where info gets swapped. Nationwide or across states sometimes even aiding immigration enforcement against local sanctuary rules. Some bay area spots tighten controls after out-of-state access popped up unexpectedly. Representatives say the city's 470 cameras map out daily habits from clinic visits to

1:02protests, evoking fears of a police state. One resident compared it to heavy surveillance back in China. Meanwhile, San Jose officials defend the tech, noting recent council rules limit camera spots near clinics and churches, cut data storage to 30. Days and restrict sharing. Police say audits show all searches follow policy, keeping access tight for their own use only as this battle heads to court. I'm Corey with the story and you've been listening to California News today, AI-powered local news.