MapQuest will now show you where Flock cameras are in your neighborhood

You can see the locations of known outdoor surveillance cameras in the app.

Matthew G Eddy/Shutterstock

MapQuest has been on quite the unexpected tear over the last couple of months. The mapping service's app surged in popularity after it refused to refer to Lake Ontario as Lake America (unlike Google Maps and Apple Maps). MapQuest also added useful, long-overdue features like Android Auto support and public transit directions.

The app now has another handy tool. You can toggle a layer that shows known outdoor surveillance cameras and license plate readers.

The layer will show you where Flock cameras are. It also displays the locations of cameras from the likes of Motorola Solutions (Vigilant), Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon, Leonardo (ELSAG), Neology, Rekor, PlateSmart, Ubicquia and Verkada. The layer sits alongside options to view traffic and incidents, so it should be easy to find in the app.

MapQuest announced the update with a short video that's set to Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me." Chef's kiss, no notes.

You might not be able to easily avoid these cameras on your commute or other usual routes, but the layer may be helpful in illustrating how pervasive these things are in your area. It's useful information to have for those who are trying to rid their neighborhoods of surveillance cams.