Flock Safety Faces Backlash as Contracts with Local Law Enforcement End
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Flock Safety has more than 120,000 cameras set up on roads across the US that scan license plates billions of times every month. Local law-enforcement agencies say they rely on ALPRs to solve crimes. Officers can search this data, even outside their state, to help find stolen vehicles and missing people.
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NPR NewsPolice leaders say Flock cameras help them locate stolen vehicles and missing people, and a recent preliminary study suggests that Flock Cameras can deter car theft.
VoxHave you been hearing a lot about Flock recently? You’re not alone: The surveillance company has put 120,000 cameras on roads in every US state except Alaska, and people are mad about it — online, at city council meetings, and out in the world, where the cameras have become the target of vigilante vandalism.
New York PostFlock’s technology includes license plate readers, video cameras and audio detection devices.
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At least 56 municipalities have deactivated, canceled or rejected contracts with Flock this year, according to national advocacy organization DeFlock. The company is feeling the heat, and last week announced changes aimed at addressing concerns about privacy and misuse. Flock introduced updated policies around auditing, as well as data retention and sharing – although many critics calling for change consider them inadequate.
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NPR NewsAnd many people have. According to DeFlock, at least 100 cities have deactivated the cameras or canceled contracts with Flock or similar companies.
New York PostFlock announced changes to its privacy and data retention policies amid the backlash.
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A man dressed as Darth Vader delivers a satirical speech at a San Diego City Council committee meeting on Wednesday in San Diego. The City of San Diego
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The HillMan dressed as Darth Vader defends Flock cameras to San Diego City Council: ‘This is what the emperor needs’ A man dressed as the iconic “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader on Wednesday appeared to defend the use of Flock cameras before the San Diego City Council, assuring that “this is what the emperor needs.” The man approached the podium to address the Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting, with the character’s signature breathing…
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I don’t know that surveillance cameras and automated license plate readers are ever going to fully go away, but I don’t think it’s clear that Flock itself is going to survive this backlash. I think that they are a very popular company with police and with cities, but the backlash is so strong that I think that the company is worried.
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The Guardian USEven in cities that have officially gotten rid of Flock, though, surveillance persists: a new camera company steps in or private companies with cameras on their premises, unbothered by changes in municipal contracts, leave the devices up.
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01 New York Times Flock Cameras. Canoodling Lawyers. How Much Surveillance Are We Comfortable With? Americans say they hate prying cameras. But they can’t look away.
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02 New York Post A Florida sheriff’s office posted a wild video of civilian academy students participating in a simulated mass shooting last Tuesday — with participants screaming and haphazardly firing blanks at each other.
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03 Vox Founded in 2017, Flock was most recently valued at $8.4 billion. Its aggressive growth strategy has led to widespread adoption: 7,000 law enforcement agencies across the country use Flock cameras, representing a whopping 40 percent of the nation’s police departments.
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04 The Guardian US Activists in Colorado thought they would be celebrating a victory against mass surveillance in December when the Longmont city council decided to let a contract with Flock Safety lapse.
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05 NPR News O'Rourke, inspired by a man in Florida who used a pool skimmer to do the same thing, is part of a growing movement against automated license plate readers like Flock.
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