Flock shock rocks cop cam vendor as protests mount

Flock Safety, an artificial intelligence camera vendor, has faced backlash from citizens protesting against their mass surveillance practices. The controversy intensified after a Darth Vader costume wearer endorsed Flock at a city council meeting. This has led to a surge in government officials questioning the widespread use of Flock and similar surveillance technologies.

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) addressed the matter by writing to Flock CEO Garrett Langley, requesting an investigation into Flock's data collection, retention, and dissemination practices. In response to the mounting pressure, numerous local governments across the US have either canceled or decided not to renew their contracts with Flock and other companies producing automated license plate readers (ALPRs).

The Institute for Justice, a legal advocacy non-profit, compiled a database documenting 93 local governments that have terminated their ALPR contracts. The organization is challenging ALPR use on Fourth Amendment grounds in Norfolk, Virginia, and San Jose, California. Attorney Robert Frommer of the Institute for Justice attributed the surge in cancellations and public protests to increased media coverage of the technology's abuse, as well as the Supreme Court's recent decision on geofence surveillance.

Frommer believes that the issue is not limited to state or local concerns, but has now become a federal matter. He emphasized the need for warrant requirements before accessing individuals' past travel data.