2 months ago
- 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.
- Police have misused Flock cameras to stalk ex-partners and track individuals, despite the company's claims of only logging vehicles.
- Flock retains data for 30 days by default, and its nationwide searchability raises concerns about mass surveillance, with false positives like the Joel Feder incident.
- Activists and commentators on both sides of the political spectrum, including Hasan Piker and Tucker Carlson, condemn the surveillance state fostered by Flock.
- Flock CEO Garrett Langley defends the technology, arguing safety and privacy can coexist, but critics point to misuse and the company's lack of foolproof systems.