Dear Editor:

Flock, the domestic surveillance company, is aggressively marketing its spy systems to law enforcement agencies here in Maine. The marketing process is hidden from public scrutiny, there are no public hearings or comment periods. Flock cameras have been installed in Lewiston, Auburn and Sanford, and are being considered in Portland, Falmouth, York, South Portland, Brunswick, Freeport, Kittery, Ogunquit and Saco according to the Maine ACLU.

There is a reason why these deals are being made behind the public’s back, they are a clear and direct threat to our Fourth Amendment rights. What’s worse is that these spy devices are owned and controlled by private companies with scant regulation to protect our privacy. That is, not only is the information being gathered shared with the contracting law enforcement agencies, but, potentially, with other companies that have an interest in our personal habits. It has also been demonstrated that these systems are vulnerable targets for hackers.

Flock cameras and automated license plate readers (ALPRs) violate our privacy not only in real time, but going back for as long as the cameras and ALPRs have been installed. That is, if the government becomes interested in your activities, the stored data becomes a record of where you have been and when.

It's about time that our state legislature implement regulatory protections from this sort of domestic spying. Regulations addressing data retention limits, mandatory training, audit logs, and restrictions on data sharing are a common sense approach to protecting the public’s right to privacy and from the abuse of these surveillance systems. Several states and cities have enacted or are considering such legislation, including California, Virginia, New Hampshire, Illinois, Oregon and Washington.

Please join me in urging our elected state representatives to consider and adopt similar protective regulations.

Fred W. Nehring

Boothbay