Flock Safety strengthens oversight as customers push back on surveillance

Flock Safety, a company that operates a nationwide network of automated license-plate-reading cameras, is facing growing criticism from lawmakers, civil liberties groups and the public over privacy concerns and misuse of its technology, Fortune reports. 

In response, the company announced new safeguards that will become mandatory for law-enforcement customers by Jan. 1. These include requiring agencies to use an audit system that flags abnormal searches, requiring officers to tie searches to specific cases and reducing the standard data-retention period from 30 days to seven days. 

Agencies will also be able to restrict which types of crimes outside departments can search their data for, potentially blocking searches related to immigration enforcement. 

Supporters say Flock cameras have helped locate missing people and track suspects, while critics argue that the technology amounts to warrantless mass surveillance. Reports have documented officers using the system for unauthorized searches involving friends, family members and romantic partners. 

More than 50 agencies or jurisdictions have canceled, suspended, rejected contracts or deactivated Flock cameras since the beginning of 2026. While civil liberties advocates view the shorter retention period as a positive step, they remain skeptical that the new measures adequately prevent abuse or address concerns about police controlling access to surveillance data.

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