GoKawiil
Tech News
Communities are pushing back against Flock Safety's automated license-plate cameras through visible, often theatrical protests, including people dressing as Darth Vader and tying red balloons near devices. The growing trend, dubbed 'Flocklash,' reflects widespread unease about the expansion of tech-enabled mass surveillance in public spaces.
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley used a Fox News interview to urge critics to find a middle ground between privacy and public safety, as opposition to his company's AI camera network intensifies. The remarks follow a Washington Post investigation that uncovered dozens of cases of police misusing Flock's surveillance tools, including to track women, prompting Langley to issue a public apology earlier this month.
A tech writer covering Flock Safety's AI license plate cameras outlines simple visual cues to identify the company's devices amid growing public confusion. The guide highlights Flock's distinctive oval, hooded camera shape with a circular lens as the clearest identifying feature, distinguishing it from competitors like Obvio and other traffic cameras. The piece also criticizes crowdsourced tracking apps like DeFlock for spreading inaccurate information about camera locations.
Georgia's GBI arrested three former Savannah Police Department officers and one former civilian staffer for improperly accessing Flock Safety's license plate reader network for non-law-enforcement purposes. The officers face two counts of misuse of a license plate reader system plus a violation of oath of office charge, while the civilian employee faces two misuse counts. Savannah PD uncovered the abuse through an internal audit, fired the individuals, and referred the case to state investigators.
A public research project called the Atlas of Surveillance has compiled the largest known database tracking police surveillance tools used across the United States, including automated license plate readers made by Flock Safety. The tool lets residents search by location to see whether local law enforcement agencies have deployed these camera systems in their area.
Garrett Langley, CEO of surveillance firm Flock Safety, has been giving media interviews urging a 'compromise' between privacy and public safety as scrutiny of his company's cameras and license plate recognition tools intensifies. The pushback follows a Washington Post investigation citing 46 cases of police officers allegedly misusing Flock's technology to track partners or exes, prompting Langley to apologize while denying his company caused the abuse.