May v. City of Eugene

The ACLU of Oregon and our legal partners, Visible Law and LeDuc Montgomery LLC, filed to sue the City of Eugene for failing to disclose public records pertaining to the city’s operation of Flock Safety cameras. This lawsuit is filed on behalf of Seth May, a member of Eyes Off Eugene, a group of advocates and technology professionals who are rejecting mass surveillance in Oregon through public education and organized advocacy.

Flock cameras are a type of advanced surveillance technology that presents a significant threat to privacy by tracking the movements of every vehicle (and even images of pedestrians, bicyclists, and animals), without a warrant, suspicion, or consent from the public. Flock allows for this personal data to be uploaded to an AI-powered platform that can be accessed by law enforcement and private companies across the country, with little to no regulation. Learn more about Flock’s disturbing web of surveillance and data sharing on our Know Your Tech Flock page.

By denying Mr. May’s request and refusing to disclose the requested records, the City violated Oregon public records law. The City of Eugene’s refusal to disclose the records despite the significant public interest in them stands in stark contrast to the transparency that other cities like Springfield, Medford, and Woodburn have provided the public by identifying the locations of Flock cameras without issue.

The ACLU of Oregon and our legal partners are representing Mr. May and suing the City of Eugene to ensure that the City of Eugene cannot hide their actions while demanding the public live their lives under the unblinking eyes of Flock.