A group of hackers known as stegan0gram dismantled a Flock automated surveillance camera to reverse-engineer its software, uncovering that a single passing vehicle can trigger dozens—or even over 100—photographs.

A joint investigation by Wired and 404 Media based on the hackers’ findings revealed that over a 21-day period, a single camera captured roughly 50,200 vehicles and generated about 1.6 million images. The technology logs extensive vehicle details, such as make, model, color, bumper stickers, and even distinct accessories like an American flag patch on a motorcycle’s saddlebag.

Flock utilizes a vast network of license plate readers and AI-powered databases shared across law enforcement agencies to assist in crime solving. While the company condemned the unauthorized removal and tampering of its hardware as illegal, the hardware’s deep data collection has sparked intense political debate.

Lawmakers are increasingly divided over the technology. While President Trump has voiced support for the cameras to aid law enforcement, critics argue it infringes on privacy. Notably, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed concerns over a growing “digital AI surveillance state,” and Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie recently introduced the “Flock-Off Act” to restrict federal funding for such automated surveillance equipment.