In 2023, a woman named Nicola Bulley went missing in the UK.

While this was unfolding, an old friend from university, who emmigrated to the US (MANY years ago), visited the UK. He was amazed at how much CCTV footage was available to track this woman’s movements. He firmly believed that US citizens would go NUTS if they were under that much surveillance.

Now I hear that there is a company called #FlockSafety that not only provides video surveillance, but automated [number] plate recognition ([ANPR]) and “gunfire locator systems”, and “supporting software to integrate the data gathered by these technologies”.

I’m just speechless. If law enforcement use ANPR in the UK, they often have to warn people in advance, and yet this is an always-on service?! Incredible.