Today’s column (gift link) knows where you live.

Somewhere near your home lies a very important intersection. At this intersection, an international spy, world-renowned detective or merciless bounty hunter could tell “them” (whoever “they” are) everything about you. They could certainly tell when you’re running late. They could even determine if your phone failed to sync with the car, because you’re a hot mess driver when things don’t work right.

After a couple weeks, your patterns would become very clear. Imagine this went on for years! These nefarious observers could pinpoint your daily movements more accurately than you could, identifying contributing factors that you never considered.

Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure you won’t find a secret detective or spy at this intersection. But there’s a decent chance you’ll find a camera maintained by local law enforcement. License plate reader cameras even cropped up here in the wilds of Itasca County, deep in the woods near where I live.

On one hand, these are incredibly helpful tools for law enforcement. They help catch criminals and literally save lives, especially in missing person cases. On the other, most of them are provided by a third-party company called Flock, a private security firm that exists outside the realm of our government. Privacy advocates point out several concerns.

When you distrust the government, you can vote against it. When you distrust the private sector, your options are limited.

Read “With Flock cameras, you’re never alone on Minnesota roads,” in the Thursday, April 30, 2026 edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Aaron J. Brown is a columnist and member of the editorial board for the Minnesota Star Tribune. His new book about Hibbing Mayor Victor Power and his momentous fight against the world’s largest corporation will be out soon.