Cato Surveillance Week 2026 featured a panel that included my colleague and Cato Research Fellow Nicholas Anthony. As is always the case with such expert panels, there are inevitably more questions than we have time to address in an hour. Moreover, because the reach of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) is so vast, I wanted to follow up with Nick on some of the issues we covered and some we didn’t have a chance to get into depth on. What follows is the transcript of my chat with Nick, edited for clarity. 

Q. Folks may not be as familiar with the Bank Secrecy Act as other laws. Can you give them a brief crash course?

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A councilman in Somerset County said Flock cameras and other automatic license plate readers are a "serious privacy concern" and is calling for them to be banned in the borough.

Peapack and Gladstone Councilman Conor Sweeney proposed the idea at an Oct. 13 borough council meeting.

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Residents raised privacy concerns at the Oct. 14 meeting, and a council member proposed penalties for misuse.

EDISON, NJ — Weeks after Edison Council voted to expand the township's use of Flock Safety license plate readers, residents returned to ask the council to reverse course, and one councilman called for a law that would make misuse of the data a crime.

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EDISON – The Township Council may form a committee to take another look at the township's expanding use of Flock license plate-reading cameras after several residents spoke out against the technology.

Council President Joseph Coyle said he would consider forming a three-member council committee to hear residents' concerns about the cameras, an announcement that was met with applause.

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Last month, Florida became the first state to bar automated license plate readers (ALPRs) from state highways. Citing concerns about privacy and misuse, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the technology had “gotten out of control” and urged the legislature to go further before Florida became “some type of digital prison.” It was the most prominent salvo yet in a growing backlash against the cameras that has already produced canceled contracts, congressional investigations, vigilante vandalism, and calls to ban them outright.

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Over the last several years, New Jersey has funneled taxpayer dollars into over 2,000 Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs)—commonly known as Flock cameras.

Every time a car passes one of these devices, its image is captured and logged into a central database, powered by artificial intelligence. The result? A dragnet surveillance apparatus capable of tracking every resident’s daily life. Where you shop, which doctors you consult, which gun stores you patronize, and who you visit are all monitored, cataloged, and analyzed.

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When Eagle Sports Range in Cudahy, Wisconsin, removed its three Flock Safety cameras in August, general manager Saad Jaber cited broader customer privacy concerns, not misuse at the range. In Cleveland, Georgia, Gun Commanders owner Michael Carter covered his privately owned Flock camera with a trash bag and is having it permanently removed, telling Now Georgia his customers' trust matters more than "any piece of technology." 

Police misuse of plate-reader data has sparked a nationwide backlash against those cameras. Gun owners have an additional worry: A lawful trip to a gun store or range could put them on a government list.

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Three lawmakers are introducing a new bill to crack down on Flock cameras.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Jeff Merkley introduced the Ban Flock Act.

If the bill were to be approved, it would ban federal agencies from using automatic license-plate readers and restrict federal funding for local governments that use them.

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New Jersey residents have shown that they overwhelmingly oppose mass surveillance. Town council meetings have regularly seen residents express concern over the growing number of cameras around us. Opinions expressed online further demonstrate that we are overwhelmingly opposed to unregulated surveillance. As a result, our elected representatives are slowly beginning to react.

As a direct result of public outcry at town council meetings, Cherry Hill Township (Camden County) has decided not to renew its contract with Flock at the end of the year. While this is a significant win for local privacy, the fight isn't over. According to Mayoral Chief of Staff Brian Bauerle, officials are continuing to evaluate the technology and may resurrect surveillance in Cherry Hill with a different brand of camera system. Bauerle stated, “The police department is in the final stages of evaluating Axon automated license plate readers.” Residents must remain vigilant to ensure one surveillance network isn't simply swapped for another.