Are Flock Cameras Watching You?
Summary
Host Lizzie O’Leary interviews 404 Media reporter Joseph Cox about the backlash against Flock, a company deploying nationwide license plate reader cameras. They discuss how local police use the network for federal ICE deportations and investigating abortion cases, sparking cross-partisan public anger. The episode covers citizen activism, including the Deflock app, and Flock’s subsequent policy changes amid growing scrutiny over surveillance overreach.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Best Western and Ledin
Introduction: The rise of anti-Flock surveillance memes
How Flock differs from Axon and its national network
Flock's marketing vs. the reality of police access
ICE usage, pilot programs, and internal company confusion
Sponsors: HeyGen, Bill.com, and AT&T Business
Case study: Tracking a woman for self-administered abortion
Police misuse: Stalking exes and the Deflock movement
Former employee's dual life and investor reactions
Organized resistance and Flock's crisis management
Broader societal backlash against local surveillance tech
Outro, new safety controls, and final sponsors
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