Flock Safety faces privacy backlash and surveillance disputes

Flock Safety, a provider of license-plate recognition cameras, is facing scrutiny regarding privacy and surveillance. Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley has been targeted by online campaigns following his public suggestion that Americans should accept a “compromise” between privacy and public safety.

Reports indicate that critics have circulated an unverified home address belonging to Langley and engaged in digital pranks on Google Maps, including marking his lawn as a “public toilet.”

In a separate incident involving the technology, a resident of Ridge Spring, South Carolina, named Christian McClellan, claims he was threatened with arrest by the local police department via Facebook. McClellan alleges that after posting a profane comment criticizing the town's Flock cameras, he received a direct message from the police department account stating that a warrant would be obtained and U.S. Marshals would be sent to arrest him for “unlawful communications.” The Ridge Spring Mayor identified the local Police Chief as the individual operating the department's social media account.