Ulta shoppers may now have more to worry about than running out of mascara. The beauty retailer has quietly installed Flock Safety's automated license plate reader cameras at some stores, a move that's triggered calls for a boycott and a new pressure campaign from gender justice group Ultra Violet, Allure reports. Flock's AI-driven system logs plates and other vehicle details and can share data with local police, raising fears over mass surveillance and tracking of protesters, immigrants, and people seeking abortions.
In a video shared on Instagram, social media creator Rachel L. voiced concerns about stalking and urged people to sign Ultra Violet's petition, which calls for the company to shut off the cameras and cut its ties with Flock. "If you're a woman shopping at Ulta, the police can just watch you whenever they want. Your abusive ex, who's a cop, can watch you shopping at Ulta," she said, per the Fashion Times. "A cop who just saw you once, thought you were hot, and wanted to track you down can find you at Ulta."
A source tells Allure that the company has installed Flock cameras as an anti-theft measure at fewer than 1% of its 1,500 stores, and that Ulta "complies with all applicable laws and strictly controls access to information collected by cameras." Jenna Sherman, Ultra Violet's campaign director, says it's important to speak out while the percentage of stores with the cameras is low "to make it crystal clear that women are not okay with this" and that they "will stand up in droves, particularly to companies that claim to be for us and built for us as customers."
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