Boston terminates contract with Flock Safety over unauthorized data sharing

The City of Boston has officially ended its relationship with Flock Safety, a provider of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, following a significant breach of contract. Mayor Michelle Wu confirmed the decision during a recent media appearance, citing a "vendor error" that resulted in the unauthorized sharing of Boston’s surveillance data on a nationwide scale. According to the city's 2025 annual surveillance technology report, the Boston Police Department had deployed approximately 45 cameras during a pilot program between April and September of last year. The report indicates that the data sharing violation occurred during the initial days of the trial. City officials emphasized that the unauthorized dissemination of information directly contradicted the terms of their agreement, leading to the immediate abandonment of the technology. This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding the privacy implications and data management practices associated with municipal surveillance tools.