Flock CEO calls for ‘compromise’ as surveillance company faces growing backlash

As public scrutiny intensifies over the widespread deployment of surveillance technology, Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley is advocating for a middle ground. Amidst mounting concerns regarding the potential for misuse of the company’s license plate recognition systems, drones, and cameras, Langley is calling for a national dialogue centered on balancing public safety with individual privacy.

Seeking a Middle Ground

In a recent appearance on Fox News, Langley addressed the growing tension surrounding his firm's products. He argued that framing the debate as a binary choice between safety and privacy is a mistake.

“When people talk about just one of these, privacy or safety, they’re prioritizing the wrong thing, and what we have to prioritize as a country is compromise,” Langley stated. “How do we have our safety, and how do we balance privacy?”

This media outreach follows a wave of negative publicity for the surveillance provider. The Washington Post recently uncovered 46 documented instances where law enforcement personnel allegedly leveraged Flock’s technology for illicit purposes, including tracking romantic partners and exes. When confronted with the story of one such victim, Langley expressed deep remorse, noting, “It kills me that she went through that.” However, he maintained that the company is not the source of police misconduct, but rather a tool that provides the transparency necessary to identify and address such abuses.

Bipartisan Pushback

The controversy has transcended traditional political divides, drawing fire from both sides of the aisle.

• From the Left: Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has criticized his opponent for supporting the "mass proliferation" of Flock cameras. Meanwhile, Senator Bernie Sanders has taken a more direct stance, posting, “STOP AI MASS SURVEILLANCE. STOP FLOCK.”
• From the Right: A group of House Republicans recently introduced legislation aimed at curbing federal procurement of automated surveillance systems, specifically citing facial recognition and license plate tracking technologies—including those manufactured by Flock—as targets for restriction.

Policy Shifts and Accountability

In an effort to mitigate these concerns, Flock has implemented several internal policy updates:

• Reduced Retention: The default data storage period has been slashed from 30 days to seven days.
• Access Controls: Users are now required to input a specific case code before they can access stored data.

Despite these measures, critics remain skeptical. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) noted that while the changes are a potential step forward, they fall short of the 48-hour retention window the organization recommends. Furthermore, the effectiveness of these safeguards remains in question due to "Evidence Mode," a setting that allows police to override default retention periods.

Langley, however, insists that the industry requires external oversight. He has encouraged state lawmakers to codify the illegal use of surveillance data as a criminal offense, noting that the current lack of regulation and accountability in the tech sector is fundamentally flawed.

As the company navigates this turbulent period, the industry will be watching closely. Langley is scheduled to discuss these challenges further during an on-stage appearance at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt conference this October.