Sensing He’s in Deep Trouble, Flock Safety CEO Says It’s All Been a Big Misunderstanding

In a recent interview, Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley has downplayed the severity of the controversy surrounding his company, insisting that it's all a "big misunderstanding." The issue stems from Flock's aggressive deployment of over 120,000 license plate reading cameras across the United States, which has led to a series of false arrests and accusations against innocent individuals.

Last week, 404 Media revealed that Flock was planning to expand its surveillance capabilities by infiltrating the dash cams of Uber and Lyft drivers' vehicles to track nearby license plate numbers. This has sparked outrage among privacy advocates and civil rights groups, who argue that the company's actions violate fundamental freedoms.

As a result, at least 54 cities across the US have taken steps to cancel, non-renew, or reject Flock's automatic license plate readers. In response to mounting pressure, Flock has attempted to repair its image by emphasizing its commitment to protecting people and promising to help law enforcement fight crime. However, critics argue that these changes are insufficient and fail to address the core problem, which is the decision-making authority of police officers to search individuals based on the company's technology.

Despite these efforts, Flock's annual revenue has skyrocketed from $300 million to $500 million in just a few months, highlighting the company's continued success in the surveillance market. Nevertheless, its reputation remains tarnished, with lingering concerns over the accuracy and effectiveness of its license plate readers, which have been shown to make mistakes up to 71% of the time.