A weakness in Flock's license plate camera network meant a single stolen API key could have handed an outsider control over the whole system — bad news for privacy and for the police departments that rely on the data.

• An API key was enough to get deep access, with few limits on what the holder could do.
• Records could have been faked or wiped, corrupting evidence police depend on.
• Anyone could have been tracked through the camera network, including politicians, generals, and FBI agents.
• Misuse is not just theoretical — officers have already used the system to follow ex-partners.

Outlook: Expect more scrutiny of Flock and pressure on cities to tighten or drop these camera contracts.