Flock announces changes amid backlash over its license-plate reader network
The company will require automated audits, shorter retention and case-number checks after reports of officers using plate readers for personal surveillance.
- On Thursday, surveillance firm Flock Safety announced tightened data policies, including shortening the default license-plate retention window from 30 days to 7 days and requiring case codes for police searches.
- Widespread reports of officer misconduct prompted the changes, including recent incidents where Savannah Police Department employees were fired for allegedly using the system to track friends and family.
- Earlier this month, The Washington Post reported finding nearly 50 instances of police officers accused of unauthorized surveillance, many for tracking romantic partners or family members.
- Flock CEO Garrett Langley described the updates as an "evolution" toward accountability, though the company will allow police to bypass case-code requirements during emergencies, subject to administrative review.
- Robert Frommer, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, dismissed the measures as "window dressing," arguing the changes fail to address police unilaterally deciding when to search.
129 Articles
129 Articles
Flock says its new tool will help identify police abuse, but hasn’t explained how it works
The surveillance company announced it's making a tool called "Audit Assistance" mandatory for all customers, claiming it's already helped catch abuse. But the company has yet to explain how the tool works in detail, raising questions about its effectiveness.
The Daily Progress
Flock camera scandals prompt company to make changes
As law enforcement agencies across the nation continue to use controversial license plate readers, a leading company behind the tech says a new update is intended to crack down on police officers who misuse the data.
The company will reduce the storage of registrations from 30 to 7 days and will require that each search be linked to a case number
Flock announces privacy updates to its car-tracking cameras | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Flock Safety, a company facing increasing scrutiny of its nationwide car-tracking technology, announced several updates today that it said would improve privacy protections and prevent misuse.
Flock Announces Platform Changes After Public Backlash to Its Camera Network
Surveillance technology giant Flock Safety announced sweeping changes to its platform on Aug. 13 aimed at addressing concerns over data access, privacy, and cases of law enforcement members allegedly abusing its camera network. Flock, one of the largest providers of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) in the nation, operates a growing network of cameras that feed vehicle characteristics and plate data into its platform that can be accessed b…
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