Flock CEO Urges Privacy-Safety Compromise After 46 Misuse Cases Surface
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Aug 23
Flock CEO Urges Privacy-Safety Compromise After 46 Misuse Cases Surface
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Aug 23
Summary
Garrett Langley said the U.S. should prioritize a “compromise” between privacy and safety as Flock Safety faces intensifying backlash over its surveillance cameras, drones and license plate readers.
Forty-six cases identified by The Washington Post involved officers accused of unauthorized Flock use, including stalking wives, girlfriends or exes; Langley apologized to one alleged victim but said Flock exposed abuse rather than created it.
Flock has cut default data retention to 7 days from 30 and now requires a case code to access data, though police can still override both through settings such as Evidence Mode.
Criticism is spreading across party lines: Bernie Sanders has called to “STOP FLOCK,” Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed attacked camera proliferation, and three House Republicans proposed barring federal purchases of systems including Flock cameras.
Langley says states should criminalize illegal use of Flock data and argues the broader problem is weak regulation and accountability around surveillance technology.