Steven Young says Flock cameras "need to be taken down immediately"
Steven YoungGreen Party candidate for governor of Minnesota, in an emailed statement
Steven Young, the Green Party candidate for Minnesota governor, told Dispute Index by email that he is "absolutely, 100%" against Flock and Flock-style cameras, calling them an invasion of privacy that often gets things wrong and is abused by law enforcement, and said they need to be taken down immediately.
“I am absolutely, 100%, against flock and flock-style cameras. Not only are they an incredible invasion of privacy, but they also get things wrong quite often, leading to innocent people having to navigate the courts (or worse).”
Emailed statement
Read the full email
I am absolutely, 100%, against flock and flock-style cameras. Not only are they an incredible invasion of privacy, but they also get things wrong quite often, leading to innocent people having to navigate the courts (or worse). Additionally, they are abused by law enforcement who use them for stalking purposes and to arrest people merely on the pretext of a crime. They are a part of our surveillance state's apparatus, and need to be taken down immediately.
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Emailed statement
Emailed statement from Steven Young to Dispute Index on license plate readers
I am absolutely, 100%, against flock and flock-style cameras. Not only are they an incredible invasion of privacy, but they also get things wrong quite often, leading to innocent people having to navigate the courts (or worse). Additionally, they are abused by law enforcement who use them for stalking purposes and to arrest people merely on the pretext of a crime. They are a part of our surveillance state's apparatus, and need to be taken down immediately.
About this source
Young sent this statement, signed "Steve," by email from the [email protected] address listed on his campaign website, in reply to a Dispute Index request about license plate readers. The link is to his campaign website; the statement itself is not published there. The text is reproduced as sent.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Dispute Index asked Young where he stands on Flock-style license plate cameras. He replied by email from his campaign address.
After the quotation
Young added that the cameras "are abused by law enforcement who use them for stalking purposes and to arrest people merely on the pretext of a crime," and said, "They are a part of our surveillance state's apparatus, and need to be taken down immediately."
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Young says he is completely against the cameras and that they need to be taken down immediately, which rejects the networks outright, so we labeled it Condemned with the Ban or remove step.
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More from this case
Read the full caseJacob Burnett says Flock-style cameras should be done away with, with warrants required if they stay
“The systems themselves can be modified to prevent nearly all abuse and be made more secure by requiring warrants for access or follow through on any data the systems collect and have all data stored on the hardware itself preventing viewing from remote locations, requiring strict login credentials and a connecting warrant number to access. These are common sense changes that if the systems are to be used I feel could correct a lot of abuse or privacy concerns but I also feel the systems should be done away with overall, especially in the realm of predictive crime analytics.”Read statement
Dean Brewer, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, says Flock cameras should be banned
“I believe flock cameras should be banned.”Read statement
Buddy Carter says license plate cameras help investigators but need privacy safeguards
“Technologies like license plate recognition cameras can provide valuable investigative tools, but they have also raised important questions about privacy and government oversight. As these systems become more common, it is important to balance public safety with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.”Read statement
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- Steven Young says Flock cameras "need to be taken down immediately"
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/3993-steven-young-the-green-party-candidate-for-minnesota
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The Dispute Index. "Steven Young says Flock cameras "need to be taken down immediately"". First published: 2026-10-01. Last updated: 2026-10-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/3993-steven-young-the-green-party-candidate-for-minnesota