Why a Flock Worker Quit: 'They Lied

5 hours ago

Jonathan Paz, a former Flock employee and current congressional candidate, initially believed the surveillance company's mission was to find missing people.
As a government affairs manager, Paz helped cities adopt Flock cameras by navigating public hearings and community resistance.
Paz's disillusionment grew when he realized his job was to suppress opposition rather than represent democratic decisions.
Before Flock, Paz had a background in social justice, including union organizing and municipal broadband advocacy.
Paz joined Flock after being pitched by a representative at a conference, initially viewing the technology as beneficial for public safety.
Paz was disturbed by 404 Media's reporting that local cops accessed Flock cameras for ICE, contradicting company claims of no ICE collaboration.
Flock later admitted federal agencies like CBP and ICE had direct access, followed by reports of Secret Service and Navy access.
Paz quit Flock in July 2025, rejecting equity and severance, then founded an organization to help people affected by mass deportations.
After leaving, Paz ran for Congress in Massachusetts’ 5th District, advocating against surveillance overreach.

LAPD will not renew its contract with Flock Safety due to civil liberties and privacy concerns.
Flock's network includes at least 80,000 cameras that scan license plates for police and federal agencies.
Other U.S. cities have also ended deals with Flock over privacy and surveillance issues.

Will Freeman leads DeFlock, an organization opposing Flock Safety's surveillance cameras, mapping over 80,000 camera locations.
Flock CEO Garrett Langley apologized for calling DeFlock 'terroristic,' acknowledging valid criticisms and advocating for a balance between safety and privacy.
Public backlash against Flock grew due to reports of ICE access, a creepy Super Bowl ad with Amazon Ring, and police misusing cameras to stalk women.

Texas police used over 83,000 Flock cameras across multiple states to track a woman who had an abortion, despite abortion being legal in the states where searches occurred.
The 'welfare check' justification was false; the abortion occurred two weeks prior, and deputies were investigating a 'non-viable fetus' and consulting prosecutors about charges.
Flock Safety cameras photograph all license plates and store data in a nationally searchable database accessible by over 4,000 law enforcement agencies without warrants.

Flock Safety cameras are being vandalized across the US, with individuals using saws, paint, and trucks, and cities canceling contracts due to privacy concerns.
The company's network of 120,000 cameras records license plates and vehicle data, used by police for crime-solving, but critics argue it invades privacy and enables surveillance.
Opposition to Flock is bipartisan, uniting conservatives and progressives who see it as a threat to individual liberties and a step toward a police state.

Flock provides police with a coaching guide on how to pitch its license plate reader technology to city councils, even amid public opposition.
The guide advises police to avoid debating whether the technology constitutes mass surveillance and instead reframe the discussion around governance and community safety.
Flock encourages police to build support early by briefing city managers and council members before public meetings, and to use a carefully scripted presentation.

LAPD will not renew its contract with Flock Safety due to civil liberties and privacy concerns.
Flock's network includes at least 80,000 cameras that scan license plates for police and federal agencies.
Other U.S. cities have also ended deals with Flock over privacy and surveillance issues.

Will Freeman leads DeFlock, an organization opposing Flock Safety's surveillance cameras, mapping over 80,000 camera locations.
Flock CEO Garrett Langley apologized for calling DeFlock 'terroristic,' acknowledging valid criticisms and advocating for a balance between safety and privacy.
Public backlash against Flock grew due to reports of ICE access, a creepy Super Bowl ad with Amazon Ring, and police misusing cameras to stalk women.

Texas police used over 83,000 Flock cameras across multiple states to track a woman who had an abortion, despite abortion being legal in the states where searches occurred.
The 'welfare check' justification was false; the abortion occurred two weeks prior, and deputies were investigating a 'non-viable fetus' and consulting prosecutors about charges.
Flock Safety cameras photograph all license plates and store data in a nationally searchable database accessible by over 4,000 law enforcement agencies without warrants.

Flock Safety cameras are being vandalized across the US, with individuals using saws, paint, and trucks, and cities canceling contracts due to privacy concerns.
The company's network of 120,000 cameras records license plates and vehicle data, used by police for crime-solving, but critics argue it invades privacy and enables surveillance.
Opposition to Flock is bipartisan, uniting conservatives and progressives who see it as a threat to individual liberties and a step toward a police state.

Flock provides police with a coaching guide on how to pitch its license plate reader technology to city councils, even amid public opposition.
The guide advises police to avoid debating whether the technology constitutes mass surveillance and instead reframe the discussion around governance and community safety.
Flock encourages police to build support early by briefing city managers and council members before public meetings, and to use a carefully scripted presentation.

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