Flock cameras, and Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in general, have no place on any campus or university. And yet, with its 13 Flock cameras, UTD seems to have a different opinion. UTD indiscriminately and continuously collects and retains data on every student. These cameras use AI technology to uniquely identify cars, by tracking license plates, bumper stickers, any car defects — and even people. These cameras then send that data to a private, off-campus provider, who uses the images to contribute to a vast database of every American’s location history. Thanks to Flock’s central database, UTD and other police departments can scan both on-campus and off-campus activity, without a warrant or any real oversight.
No one asked for this. No one thinks we should pay $32,500 per year for this. Yet UTD ignores our wishes and chooses to treat every student as a criminal by default.
Universities should serve as centers of journalism, student organizing, protest, advocacy, community engagement, and academic inquiry. But mass surveillance technology, such as Flock cameras, discourages these activities. That may be another plus for the administration, considering that UTD is ranked 251 out of 261 on free speech.
UTD likes to pretend that they aren’t sharing our information with ICE. But ICE has access. By sharing Flock data with other police departments, who themselves openly share information with ICE, it is all but guaranteed that all our data is accessible by federal agencies.
At the Student Government Senate Meeting, I will present a resolution that makes it official the Student Government’s opinion: Flock needs to go. I will also urge the Police Oversight Committee to put Flock cameras as their number one focus, urging the committee to consider the impacts Flock cameras have on student privacy, civil liberties, free expression, and community trust.
I urge all students to show up at the Senate meeting in the Galaxy Rooms on Tuesday, September 29 at 5:30 p.m. and make your opinion heard on Flock cameras. This is an issue that impacts us all.
Administration believes they can walk all over us. It’s the reason they fired The Mercury’s editor-in-chief, the reason the Spirit Rocks were removed, the reason UTD suspended Students for Justice in Palestine, and the reason the Pride Wall was abruptly removed from campus. Administration would rather we forget and go quiet on this. Let’s demand actual change and show student voices matter.
Regards,
Student Senator Sarim Muhammad