Surveillance technology company Flock Safety has announced major updates to its automated license plate reader network following widespread privacy concerns, civil liberties pushback, and documented instances of law enforcement misuse.

The company, which operates over 120,000 cameras across the U.S., is reducing its default data retention window from 30 days to seven days and making mandatory automated auditing tools to detect unauthorized search behavior. The policy shifts come as dozens of local communities and municipal agencies move to cancel or suspend their contracts. Critics, including civil liberties advocates, argue the operational changes fall short of preventing warrantless mass surveillance, while police departments maintain the network remains a vital tool for locating missing persons and tracking violent crime suspects.