Flock CEO calls for ‘compromise’ as surveillance company faces growing backlash
Flock Safety faces a growing public outcry over concerns that its surveillance technology could be misused.
Garrett Langley, CEO of Flock Safety, has called for a "compromise" between privacy and safety in the wake of growing backlash against the company's surveillance technology. Speaking to Fox News, Langley emphasized the need to balance safety concerns with privacy rights, highlighting that prioritizing one over the other is misguided.
The backlash against Flock has intensified as concerns over potential misuse of its surveillance cameras, drones, and license plate recognition technology have emerged. Evidence of this misuse includes 46 documented cases where police officers allegedly used Flock technology for unauthorized purposes, such as stalking personal acquaintances.
Langley acknowledged the seriousness of these allegations, apologizing on behalf of the company where appropriate. He also expressed regret that victims had endured harm due to Flock's technology. However, Langley maintained that Flock did not create the abuse, instead touting its role in bringing awareness to the issue and developing tools to detect it.
The controversy surrounding Flock has drawn bipartisan criticism, with Democratic and Republican politicians joining the debate. Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed accused a Republican opponent of supporting the widespread deployment of Flock cameras, while Senator Bernie Sanders called for an end to AI mass surveillance and Flock specifically.
Flock has responded to the concerns by adjusting its data retention policies, decreasing the default time from 30 days to seven days. However, these changes can be overridden, enabling police to access data for longer periods in certain scenarios. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) commended Flock's move, albeit noting that it does not align with their recommended 48-hour retention limit.
Langley has called for state regulators to impose stricter measures, criminalizing the illicit use of Flock's data. He emphasized the need for regulation and accountability within the surveillance technology industry. TechCrunch will feature Langley's insights as he attends their Disrupt conference in October to discuss these matters further.
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