All across the United States, concerns are being raised about something called Flock cameras. If you’re unfamiliar, they’re automated licence plate readers that capture information about vehicles and allow law enforcement to search that information as part of investigations.
On the surface, that sounds like a good thing, right? If technology can help police find stolen vehicles, locate suspects or solve serious crimes, most of us probably understand the benefit.
But there’s another side to it. Civil liberties groups have raised concerns about mass surveillance and the ability to create records of where ordinary people travel, despite them not being suspected of committing a crime. There have also been cases in the United States where police officers have been accused of misusing these systems to track people for personal reasons. That’s where something designed to protect the public can quickly become something the public needs protection from.
Now let me bring this home. Bermuda doesn’t have Flock cameras, at least not that I’m aware of, but Government has spent years expanding the island’s CCTV network. In July 2025, then Minister of National Security Michael Weeks said the rollout was nearly complete, with 225 cameras across 130 locations providing 460 camera views.
Considering the conversations we’ve had about crime, I understand why people want cameras. When something happens, we’re often asking whether there’s footage. We want crimes solved. We want people held accountable. We want our community to be safer.
But wanting safety doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask questions about privacy. Who has access to the footage? How long is it stored? What can it be used for? Is every time someone accesses the system recorded? What happens if someone uses it for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with preventing or solving a crime? And who is responsible for ensuring the people watching us are themselves being watched?
That’s where I think the conversation needs to be. Technology isn’t necessarily the problem. It’s how it’s used, who controls it and what protections are in place to prevent abuse.
Bermuda is a very small place. With enough cameras, it wouldn’t be difficult to potentially track someone’s movements from one end of the island to the other. Maybe that helps solve a serious crime. Most of us would probably support that. But should someone be able to track an innocent person’s movements without a legitimate reason? I think not.
Somehow, we have to find the balance between keeping Bermuda safe and protecting people’s privacy. We shouldn’t have to choose one or the other.
