46 Alleged Flock Abuses Ignite a Surveillance Firestorm
Flock faces bipartisan fury after 46 alleged police abuses, as CEO Garrett Langley pushes compromise and privacy safeguards, but loopholes remain open.
Summary
Forty-six alleged police abuses have put Flock Safety’s surveillance machine in the hot seat. Officers allegedly used its cameras, drones and license plate recognition to stalk wives, girlfriends and exes. CEO Garrett Langley apologized to one alleged victim, but says Flock exposed abuse rather than created it, and wants a national compromise between privacy and safety.
Pressure now spans both parties. Abdul El-Sayed attacked Mike Rogers, Bernie Sanders demanded a stop, and three House Republicans proposed federal purchase restrictions. Flock cut default retention from 30 days to seven and added case codes, but Evidence Mode allows overrides. The ACLU wants 48 hours. Langley wants illegal access criminalized.
Positives
- Default data retention dropped from 30 days to seven.
- Case codes are now required before users can access Flock data.
- Garrett Langley supports making illegal use of Flock data a crime.
Risks & concerns
- Police face accusations in 46 unauthorized-use cases, including stalking partners and exes.
- Evidence Mode lets police override the shorter retention period.
- Democrats and Republicans are both targeting Flock’s surveillance technology.