Flock CEO Urges 'Compromise' Between Privacy and Safety Amid Rising Backlash
Surveillance technology company Flock Safety's CEO is calling for a balance between privacy and public safety as the company faces mounting criticism from across the political spectrum over potential misuse of its camera and license plate recognition systems.
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley said during a Fox News interview that the country needs to find a "compromise" between privacy and safety, arguing that treating the two values as opposing priorities is the wrong approach. His comments came as the company faces growing public backlash over its surveillance cameras, drones, and license plate recognition technology.
Reported misuse cases
The Washington Post identified 46 cases in which police officers were accused of using Flock technology for unauthorized purposes, including stalking their wives, girlfriends, or exes. After hearing an interview with one alleged victim, Langley apologized on CBS News, saying it "kills" him that she went through that experience. However, he maintained that Flock did not create police abuse, but was instead the first company to expose it and build tools to detect it.
Criticism from both political sides
The company faces criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed accused his opponent of supporting the mass proliferation of Flock cameras, while Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders publicly called for an end to AI mass surveillance. Meanwhile, three House Republicans introduced a bill that would bar the federal government from purchasing automated surveillance systems using facial recognition, biometric IDs, or license plate recognition, explicitly naming Flock Safety cameras.
Company's response
Flock has already made changes, reducing the default data retention period from 30 days to seven days and requiring a case code before data access. However, both restrictions can be bypassed through a feature called "Evidence Mode," which allows police to retain data longer. The American Civil Liberties Union called the changes a potential step in the right direction, but noted their real impact would depend on how "Evidence Mode" actually operates. Langley has called on state regulators to make illegal use of Flock data a criminal offense.
