Flock Safety CEO calls for compromise between security and privacy
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley called on the United States to seek a compromise between privacy and security amid increasingly vocal criticism of the company’s surveillance technologies. In an interview with Fox News, he said that focusing on only one of these issues is the wrong approach. TechCrunch reports.
Flock Safety offers surveillance cameras, drones and license plate recognition technology. The company faces public criticism over concerns that these tools could be misused.
Allegations over data use
According to The Washington Post, the publication identified 46 cases in which police officers were accused of unauthorized use of Flock technologies. These included allegations of stalking wives, girlfriends or former partners.
After an interview with one of the alleged victims, Langley apologized in a comment to CBS News and said he was saddened by what she had experienced. At the same time, he said Flock did not create the problem of police abuse, but was the first to expose it and create tools to detect such cases.
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Political reaction and Flock changes
Flock has been criticized by politicians from both major U.S. parties. Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed accused his opponent, Mike Rogers, of supporting the mass rollout of Flock cameras. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders also called for an end to mass surveillance using artificial intelligence and Flock.
Three Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced a bill that would prohibit the federal government from purchasing automated surveillance systems with facial recognition, biometric identifiers or license plate recognition, including Flock Safety cameras.
In response to criticism, the company reduced the standard data retention period from 30 to seven days and introduced a requirement to enter a case code to access information. However, these restrictions can be lifted: for example, police can retain data longer through Evidence Mode. The American Civil Liberties Union said the changes could be a step in the right direction, but their real value will depend on how this mode operates.
Langley has also said that state regulators should pass laws providing for criminal liability for the illegal use of Flock data. On Fox News, he added that Flock technologies and other similar systems too often lack proper regulation and accountability.
