She Got an Abortion. So a Texas Cop Used 83,000 Cameras to Track Her Down
a year ago
- #reproductive-rights
- #ALPR
- #surveillance
- Texas sheriff's office used 83,000+ ALPR cameras to track a woman suspected of self-managing an abortion.
- Officer searched 6,809 Flock Safety camera networks, including states where abortion is legal (e.g., Washington, Illinois).
- Post-Dobbs, law enforcement exploits ALPRs, phone records, and geolocation data to pursue individuals across state lines.
- EFF's Atlas of Surveillance shows 1,800+ agencies use ALPRs; 4,000+ can access Flock's network with minimal oversight.
- Many ALPR searches list vague reasons like 'investigation,' masking potential targeting of protected rights like abortion.
- Mass surveillance infrastructure, initially for stolen cars, now targets reproductive healthcare seekers.
- ALPRs log detailed movement data; Flock Safety allows searches by vehicle attributes, even without plate numbers.
- 26% of self-managed abortion cases reported to law enforcement by acquaintances; ALPRs escalate tips into nationwide hunts.
- Anti-abortion activists document plates at clinics, cross-referencing with ALPR databases.
- EFF investigation revealed California police shared ALPR data with anti-abortion states, violating state laws.
- EFF successfully pressured 75 California police departments to stop sharing ALPR data with anti-abortion states.
- Lawmakers must recognize abortion access and mass surveillance are incompatible.
- ALPRs, once for stolen cars, now enforce politically charged laws, creating a civil liberties crisis.
- Strong state laws needed to limit data sharing, ensure oversight, and dismantle surveillance pipelines.