About
publicrecord.fyi
"We are supposed to know nearly everything about them. That is why they are called public servants.
They on the other hand are supposed to know nearly nothing about us. That is why we are called private citizens."
— Glenn Greenwald
What are ALPRs?
Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are AI-powered cameras that capture and analyze images of all passing vehicles, storing details like your car's location, date, and time.
They also capture your car's make, model, color, and identifying features such as dents, roof racks, and bumper stickers, turning these into searchable data points.
The Loophole
These systems are marketed as tools to fight crime, but they ignore the powerful tools police already have (like warrants). Instead, they create a loophole: mass surveillance without a warrant.
The Dangers
Privacy Violations
ALPRs track your movements and store your data for long periods, creating a detailed record of your location history.
Risk of Misuse
Data from ALPRs has led to wrongful arrests, profiling, and stalking of ex-partners by police officers.
Limited Benefits
There's no substantial evidence that ALPRs effectively prevent crime, despite unethical vendor claims.
"Your driving history is rarely confined..."
It's typically shared with thousands of other agencies nationwide (secretly). Once the data is out of your community, you have no control over how it's used.
What is Flock?
Flock Safety is one of the largest ALPR vendors in the US. Their cameras are installed for police, businesses, and HOAs. Captured data is uploaded to Flock's cloud, where participating agencies can search and share information across jurisdictions.
Similar Sites are Disappearing
Following takedown claims submitted on behalf of Flock, sites similar to DeFlock have gone offline.
If DeFlock disappears, it's clear why.
The Response
Public officials fund, control, and expand these surveillance systems. But here's the thing: they're tracked by the same systems.
ALPR data is a public record. Under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws, this data is legally accessible to any citizen who requests it.
publicrecord.fyi crowdsources and aggregates these public records. If a city council member votes to expand ALPR networks, their own movements become part of the public database. If a police chief oversees surveillance infrastructure, their vehicle's location history is a public record.
The Philosophy
I'm not trying to hurt anyone. I'm trying to fix this.
The surveillance apparatus will never be dismantled while those in power are insulated from its effects. When officials experience the same loss of privacy they impose on citizens, the political calculus changes.
If surveillance is mandatory for citizens, it is mandatory for officials. If it is unacceptable for officials, it must be dismantled for all.
This isn't about revenge or vindictiveness. It's about creating alignment—what we call Mutual Privacy. If surveillance is acceptable for innocent citizens, it's acceptable for public officials. If it's unacceptable for officials, it should be unacceptable for everyone.
Public records are public records. This site doesn't hack, leak, or steal anything. We simply aggregate what government agencies have already deemed public information.
The Goal
I want them to stop spying on me. On all of us.
The path is simple:
- Make surveillance mutual rather than one-directional
- Create political pressure from those with power to change the system
- Dismantle the surveillance apparatus entirely
When that happens, this site becomes obsolete. That's the goal.
Until then, if you're a public official who values privacy: fight to dismantle the surveillance state. That's the only way this stops.
What This Is Not
- Not DoxxingDoxxing reveals private information. This aggregates public records that government agencies have already released.
- Not HackingEvery piece of data here was legally obtained through official government channels.
- Not HarassmentHarassment involves targeting individuals with threatening behavior. This is transparency work, protected by the First Amendment.
- Not PartisanSurveillance is not a left vs. right issue. It affects everyone, regardless of political affiliation.
Part of a Movement
This project supports the growing movement for surveillance accountability:
- → Dr. John Padfield's Brushfires of Freedom tour
- → DFlock's camera mapping initiative
- → Institute for Justice's legal challenges
We provide infrastructure. You provide accountability.
A Personal Note
I don't do this because I'm paranoid. I do this because I've lived under surveillance my entire life, and I refuse to make it easy for them.
Building this site isn't an act of aggression. It's an act of self-defense and collective liberation.
If you've also had enough of being watched, tracked, and catalogued without your consent: you're not alone. Let's fix this together.
This site is designed to survive its creator. That's by design.