A media outlet backed by billionaire Larry Ellison is cheering on the spread of police license-plate cameras, which is bad news for anyone worried about being tracked everywhere they go.

• Flock cameras photograph cars across the country, and both the left and right are angry about being watched 24/7.
• People are fighting back by cutting down, painting, and ramming the cameras, and about 23 cities have dropped their contracts over privacy concerns.
• The Free Press, funded by Ellison, says the cameras are fine and only catch kidnappers and thieves — pointing to missing kids and stolen cars they've recovered.
• Critics counter that Flock sells your location data, overrides local sanctuary-city rules, and has been abused to track exes and women crossing state lines for abortions.
• Ellison, a top Israel donor, openly wants AI cameras and drones watching schools, malls, and even the woods, raising fears of a full surveillance state.

Outlook: Expect more cities to pull out and more cameras to be vandalized as the fight over surveillance and Ellison's growing media empire heats up.