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Kennesaw State University knows nearly everywhere you've driven over the last 30+ days.

KSU PD has spent an estimated $416,500+ on a mass surveillance system from Flock Safety, creating a concerning level of AI-powered monitoring on and off campus.

Flock Safety ALPR Image
One of 49 Flock Safety 'Falcon' cameras tracking vehicle and person[1] movements on campus

The Kennesaw State University Police Department has deployed a network of at least 49 Flock Safety Automated License Plate Readers[2] (ALPRs). These AI-powered surveillance cameras record a unique fingerprint of every passing vehicle[3] along with its license plate, building a detailed, searchable database of the movements of students, faculty, staff, and visitors. This system allows KSU PD (and anyone they choose to share this data with) to see where you've been, who you spend time with, and where you might be going, without a warrant and often without meaningful oversight.[4]

What data does the Kennesaw State University Police Department have access to?

Kennesaw State University has access to data from most police departments in the nation. A Google search[5] reveals hundreds of police departments KSU has access to vehicle activity from, many of which are more than 2,000 miles away from Kennesaw.[6] To our knowledge, Kennesaw State University hasn't made any public statements explaining their use of this technology.

KSU PD has immediate, warrantless[7] access to query nearly everywhere your vehicle has been in at least the last 30 days.[8]

How much does this cost?

We don't have exact numbers from KSU yet, but the city of Marietta paid $297,500.00 for 35 cameras at $8,500.00 each.[9] KSU is confirmed to have at least 49 Flock Safety Cameras deployed,[2] and at $8,500.00 per camera, that comes out to a total of $416,500.00. This may not include software license fees or the Flock Safety Raven Microphones also installed on campus.

Did you say AI microphones??

Yes! Kennesaw State University has deployed arrays of Flock Safety Raven AI Microphones[10] across both campuses, covering nearly every open area. While the exact number of devices is undisclosed, their presence is extensive and highly visible.

Image of a Flock Raven AI Microphone outside of the Student Center
Flock Safety 'Raven' AI surveillance microphone installed near the Student Center

Originally marketed only as gunshot detectors,[11] these systems gained voice recognition capabilities in October 2025. Flock announced the microphones would begin listening for human voices.[12] Initially described as triggering on screams,[13] the system has since been rebranded as a broader "Distress Detection" platform.[10] Like the cameras, the AI microphones are solar-powered and connect to Flock's servers over LTE.[14]

References

  1. Flock Safety Blog: New AI Video Analytics Features
  2. Atlas of Surveillance: Kennesaw State University Police Department: Automated License Plate Readers
  3. Flock Safety: License Plate Readers (LPR)
  4. Kansas.com: Kansas police chief used Flock license plate cameras 164 times to track ex-girlfriend
  5. Google Search: Flock Safety Transparency Portal - Kennesaw State
  6. Flock Safety Transparency Portal: Reno NV PD
  7. Forbes: Privacy Violated, Warrantless Surveillance Alleges Flock Safety Camera Lawsuit
  8. Flock Safety: Privacy Policy
  9. MuckRock FOIA: City of Marietta Flock Safety Invoice
  10. Flock Safety: Distress Detection Early Access
  11. Flock Safety: Audio Detection
  12. EFF: Flock's Gunshot Detection Microphones Will Start Listening for Human Voices
  13. Archive.org: Flock Safety Distress Detection Early Access (Historical)
  14. Archive.org: Flock Safety Raven Overview PDF