Flock Safety CEO defends surveillance tech amid privacy protests

Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley defended the company’s surveillance technology at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco, amid intense criticism regarding privacy and law enforcement misuse. Langley argued that the benefits of public safety and crime accountability outweigh privacy concerns, stating, “If we want to live in a society where, if you commit a crime, you have a higher probability of being held accountable, we shouldn’t pause progress.”

The company, which operates approximately 120,000 AI-powered cameras across 49 U.S. states, faces backlash over its automated license plate readers (ALPR) and audio-detection systems. Critics and activists, including groups like the Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America, staged protests outside the conference, labeling the tools a threat to civil liberties and a move toward mass surveillance. Concerns have been raised regarding the potential for technology to be used by agencies like ICE or for unauthorized tracking by individual officers.

While Langley asserted that Flock would immediately terminate partnerships with clients who knowingly break the law, he noted that the company has not yet fired any police departments. Data from the Institute for Justice indicates over 240 documented incidents of law enforcement abuse involving ALPR technology since 2021. Additionally, controversy has surrounded the company’s audio detection capabilities, with debates over whether the systems are limited to detecting gunshots or can identify other sounds like screaming.