MapQuest lets you track Flock cameras

MapQuest added a new Surveillance Layer to its mobile app that reveals nearby automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) and public surveillance cameras, including hardware from Flock Safety and roughly a dozen other vendors: Motorola Solutions (Vigilant), Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon, Leonardo (ELSAG), Neology, Rekor, PlateSmart, Ubicquia, and Verkada. The layer displays “eye” icons on the map and, according to MapQuest’s terms, pulls location data from OpenStreetMap contributors. Enabling the feature is a simple toggle in the app’s Layers menu, and MapQuest’s screenshots show entries for both ALPRs and general outdoor cameras, effectively crowdsourcing camera visibility for commuters and residents.

This rollout lands amid intense scrutiny of ALPR networks and Flock’s partnerships with law enforcement and cities: critics allege the systems have been misused for stalking, harassment and invasive tracking, while lawmakers and courts have started to push for transparency and limits. MapQuest’s move follows a recent user surge tied to its political stances and positions the mapping service as a tool for public awareness and surveillance resistance. Publishing camera locations amplifies ongoing debates about privacy, public safety, corporate accountability and how communities document and respond to pervasive automated surveillance.