Influencers are urging Home Depot and Lowe's to drop Flock
A group of influencers with a combined following of 46M followers are demanding Lowe's and Home Depot drop their Flock Safety contracts.
Two major home improvement retailers, Home Depot and Lowe's, are facing pressure to sever ties with Flock Safety, a company that provides automated license plate readers (ALPRs). A coalition of online creators, collectively boasting 46 million followers, has launched a campaign urging these retailers to terminate their contracts with Flock Safety.
The group's letter to Home Depot and Lowe's executives highlights concerns that data collected by Flock's ALPRs could be accessed by law enforcement to target immigrant day laborers and other shoppers. ALPRs gather license plate and vehicle data, which Flock Safety claims can help prevent and investigate crime. However, the company has faced scrutiny over potential privacy violations and misreading of license plates.
The creators' campaign comes amid broader discussions about mass surveillance technology and privacy. Flock Safety maintains that private customers own and control the data collected, and that law enforcement cannot access the data without explicit authorization. Despite this stance, concerns remain about the potential misuse of the data by law enforcement agencies.
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