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Flock rolls out safeguards after police misuse of its surveillance tech
The company said it is cutting most data retention from 30 days to seven and will flag abnormal searches and uses automatically, following backlash after agencies used cameras to track romantic partners.
Flock, a US surveillance technology company, is rolling out new safeguards to prevent police misuse of its licence plate readers and drones, after its founder and chief executive said the changes should have been in place sooner, according to BBC Business.
BBC Business reports that police have used Flock to track romantic partners, stalk strangers, find stolen cars and locate missing people, prompting public backlash and officials in multiple cities to cut ties. The article says at least 50 cities have ended relationships this year over the controversy, while the chief executive said 16 cities that had turned off the service in the prior three months have returned.
Flock is also changing operational rules, the outlet reported, including reducing the number of days most data is retained from 30 days to seven. It will automatically flag abnormal searches and uses, and the executive said the company has come to support requiring police to have an active case number before searching data.
The article adds that police agencies across the US have faced scrutiny, with officers quitting or being fired over alleged misuse. BBC Business also points to an Indiana case where a man learned via a public records request that police had set up a Flock alert for his vehicle despite no suspected wrongdoing, and it notes a separate fallout involving Amazon's Ring ending a partnership after public concern tied to an advertisement.