Viewpoints

The fight over automated license plate recognition (ALPR) isn't really a fight over license plates. It's a fight over trust.  In a recent interview with Jake Parker, senior director of government relations at the Security Industry Association (SIA), one comment stood out: "The public discussion of this is having real-world impact."   That observation captures the challenge facing not only ALPR providers, but the broader security industry. As privacy concerns,...

As thousands of security professionals gather this week in Atlanta for GSX 2026, the event provides a timely opportunity to reflect not only on what's next, but also on how much progress has already been made.  From artificial intelligence (AI) and remote services to executive protection and convergence, many of the trends that once seemed like future possibilities are now delivering measurable results. The challenges facing the industry remain real, but so is the momentum.  Trade...

The recent U.S. Open controversy involving two influencers whose credentials were revoked has generated plenty of discussion online. For security professionals, however, the incident is less about social media etiquette and more about a foundational security principle: controlling access.   The influencers claimed they lost their credentials after posting images of them on social media. The U.S. Tennis Association later offered a different explanation, stating that the...

Flock Safety's recent rollout of new accountability measures is more than a product update. It is a response to the growing scrutiny the company has faced over privacy, data-sharing practices and oversight of automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology.   On Aug. 13, the company announced a series of changes, including shorter default data retention periods, mandatory multi-factor authentication, audit tools and new controls aimed at identifying potential...

Three days before privacy advocates rallied outside Madison Square Garden in support of New York City's proposed "Ban the Scan" legislation, I walked into the same venue to see Mumford & Sons.  Like thousands of other concertgoers that night, I passed signage informing guests that facial recognition technology may be used as part of the arena's security operations.  Most people barely seemed to notice. Yet just days later, that same technology became the focus of...

Some industry stories unfold over days or weeks. The separation of ADI and Resideo has been more than a year in the making.   On Aug. 4, that story came full circle as ADI began trading as an independent public company, bringing to fruition plans its president, Rob Aarnes, outlined to Security Systems News last summer.  The completion of the spin-off closes a chapter that began in July 2025, when Resideo  announced plans to separate ADI from...

If you’re like me, you’ve followed the sad tale of Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, an 84-year-old woman who was living her life and living it independently, right up until that was taken away from her this past February. With the release last week of two ransom notes, the Guthries are back in the news again. All these months later, no one has a clue who did this. What authorities, and the Guthries, are left with is black-and-white video footage...

Last week, Senior Editor Theresa Flaherty wrote a blog about accidentally leaving her keys hanging in the office door for several hours. Around the same time, NBC's “Today” show was tightening studio security procedures after an intruder bypassed security and entered a restricted area of Studio 1A.  While the two situations were vastly different in both severity and consequence, they share a common thread: access control is often most noticeable when it fails.  Fortunately,...

AUSTIN, Texas—Security Systems News’ monthly column Specifically Speaking features Stephanie Mayes, security market leader at Mead & Hunt. Based in Middleton, Wis., Mead & Hunt is a national architecture, engineering and construction services firm that provides design, planning and consulting solutions for both public and private sectors. Founded in 1900, the company primarily focuses on large-scale infrastructure projects, including airports, highways, bridges and renewable energy...

I recently left my keys dangling in the lock of our office door for several hours, an instance of absentmindedness that Editor Cory Harris pointed out was an access control failure. Every day at this strange new job provides an educational opportunity because, as I’ve quickly become aware, security is e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. I’m seeing it in TV shows. To be fair, cop shows are among my personal favorite, so yeah, Benson & Stabler are always looking for security video footage. I’m...