From The Verge · Lauren Feiner · · 3m
Flock faces rare bipartisan heat in Washington
Lawmakers from both parties are uniting against the surveillance camera company, even as its CEO skips the Senate hearing.
In brief
Lawmakers from both parties are uniting against the surveillance camera company, even as its CEO skips the Senate hearing. Flock's automated license plate reader technology is drawing unprecedented scrutiny from Congress over privacy and security concerns, with rare bipartisan agreement that the company's power to…
Flock skips its own hearing
The CEO of Flock declined to testify at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Wednesday about the company's AI surveillance network, though seats were in such high demand that a standby line stretched down the hallway.
Flock stands out to lawmakers
Senate Judiciary crime and counterterrorism subcommittee chair Josh Hawley singled out Flock as the dominant player in automated license plate readers. He said, "If you haven't heard of Flock, all I have to say is, Flock's probably heard of you."
“If you haven't heard of Flock, all I have to say is, Flock's probably heard of you.”
Woman spent 13 days in jail
A Florida woman testified that she was wrongfully jailed for 13 days after Flock cameras incorrectly identified her car as connected to a crime scene. Flock said the error resulted from human judgment mistakes by police, not camera malfunction.
Bipartisan alarm over tracking
Democrats worry federal immigration authorities could access Flock data to track people, while Republicans fear the same system could monitor gun owners. Both sides see the technology as enabling mass surveillance of innocent Americans.
Security breaches exposed
Cybersecurity engineer Benn Jordan testified he accessed Flock's vast image database with minimal technical effort. While Flock says it has since improved security, lawmakers remain concerned about how easily officers can query the system.
Abortion and gun tracking fears
Senator Cory Booker asked whether officers in abortion-restricting states could use Flock to track people seeking reproductive care across state lines. Senator Josh Hawley raised the same concern for gun owners and Second Amendment supporters.
Lawmakers still learning
After the hearing, Hawley told reporters he only learned about Flock a month or two ago and that lawmakers are still getting up to speed on the technology. He hasn't yet discussed subpoenaing the CEOs with the full Judiciary Committee.
“We're all just getting up to speed on this”
Trump's support complicates action
President Donald Trump recently said he likes the cameras, which could complicate efforts to pass restrictive legislation. Hawley said he hasn't yet asked Trump whether he would support limits on Flock's power.
From local to national stage
Flock has escalated from concerns within individual police departments to city council meetings and state hearings, and now faces a Congressional hearing. The company stores location data on Americans for up to a month without requiring they be accused of crimes.
At a glance
Flock's automated license plate reader technology is drawing unprecedented scrutiny from Congress over privacy and security concerns, with rare bipartisan agreement that the company's power to track ordinary Americans needs restraint.
