What Flock Safety CEO said on people vandalising Flock cameras across America

Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley has called for striking a balance between privacy and public safety, as his company encounters mounting criticism over its surveillance technology. Vandalism of Flock cameras across the United States has fueled these concerns.

Langley argued that the discourse should not revolve solely around privacy or safety, asserting that the nation must seek a compromise. He made these remarks during an interview with Fox News, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing "compromise" as a country when it comes to safety and privacy.

The company faces growing privacy concerns, with critics questioning the potential misuse of its surveillance technology. Allegations include instances where police officers allegedly used Flock technology without authorization, leading to accusations such as stalking of wives, girlfriends, or former partners. The Washington Post highlighted 46 such cases.

Langley expressed remorse over one alleged victim's experience, stating, "I apologize. It kills me that she went through that." However, he defended Flock's role in uncovering misuse, claiming that the company was the first to bring attention to and build tools for detecting it.

In response to the issues, Flock has made adjustments to its settings. The default data retention period has been reduced from 30 days to seven days, and a case code is now required for users to access data. However, these settings can be overridden in certain scenarios, including through a feature called Evidence Mode.

Langley has also advocated for stricter regulations surrounding the illegal use of surveillance data, expressing concern over the lack of accountability in the current landscape.