Home / Technology / Flock CEO Defends Tech Amid Privacy Fears
Flock CEO Defends Tech Amid Privacy Fears
20 Dec
Summary
- Flock Safety CEO discusses company's expansion into drones.
- Company tech aided in locating Brown University shooting suspect.
- Privacy advocates urge caution over Flock's surveillance systems.
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley recently discussed the company's pivot from license plate readers to police drones, emphasizing their role in enhancing law enforcement capabilities. He highlighted how Flock's technology assisted Providence Police in locating the suspect involved in shootings at Brown University and MIT, underscoring the system's value amid privacy debates.
Langley stated his motivation for founding Flock was to reduce crime by ensuring criminals are apprehended. He believes effective crime-fighting tools are crucial for public safety and community trust. While acknowledging privacy concerns raised by organizations like the ACLU and EFF, Flock asserts its technology includes safeguards like audit trails to prevent misuse, citing a case where a police chief was arrested for improper data access.
The company's expansion into drone deployment, which saw 10,000 flights in Q3 2025, aims to improve response times for emergencies. Langley maintains that while Flock builds the tools, it is up to local law enforcement to implement them responsibly and address community-specific privacy limitations. He also noted that a cell phone offers far more pervasive surveillance than license plate readers.
