CEO attacks motives of people who care about privacy, says they are trying to “normalize lawlessness” and “let murderers go free”ACLUJay Stanley,January 16, 2026The company Flock, which sells participation in a nationwide license plate reader network as well as other surveillance technology, has been under a lot of pressure lately as increasing numbers of Americans realize they don’t like the mass surveillance the company sells or its use in the Trump Administration’s war on immigrants. That pressure seems to be resulting in demagogic attacks on the motives of its critics, with the CEO saying they want to “normalize lawlessness” and “weaken public safety.”As we have been saying for years, the creation of a giant automated infrastructure for the surveillance of drivers’ comings and goings raises a lot of profound issues — about the balance of power between government and the governed, how much power we should grant the government to investigate and prevent crime, how much privacy we should allow people to have in their public movements over time and space, the psychological, practical, and political effects of a diminishment of such privacy — and ultimately, what will best give people in this country a shot at living happy and fulfilling lives free of domination by others.
Big Brother is watching you! And in this case it is ICE!
In a December email reportedly sent to all its law enforcement clients, CEO Garrett Langley claimed that attacks on Flock were attacks on law enforcement. “Let's call this what it is,” he wrote. “Flock, and the law enforcement agencies we partner with, are under coordinated attack.” Langley then portrays Flock’s critics as motivated not by legitimate disagreement over the relative importance of different values and the role of mass surveillance in a brutal mass deportation effort, but as some kind of nihilists who wish to destroy society:The attacks aren't new. You've been dealing with this for forever, and we've been dealing with this since our founding, from the same activist groups who want to defund the police, weaken public safety, and normalize lawlessness. Now, they're producing YouTube videos with misleading headlines.Langley also told police departments that “activist groups” are also “trying to turn a public records process into a weapon against you and against us.” In a democratic society where sovereignty rests with the people, transparency into what the government is doing is vital. In an era where powerful new technologies promise to give the government expansive new powers never before seen in human history, transparency becomes even more urgent.
Every time you drive by the speed camera at a school... ICE sees you!
In a December email reportedly sent to all its law enforcement clients, CEO Garrett Langley claimed that attacks on Flock were attacks on law enforcement. “Let's call this what it is,” he wrote. “Flock, and the law enforcement agencies we partner with, are under coordinated attack.” Langley then portrays Flock’s critics as motivated not by legitimate disagreement over the relative importance of different values and the role of mass surveillance in a brutal mass deportation effort, but as some kind of nihilists who wish to destroy society:The attacks aren't new. You've been dealing with this for forever, and we've been dealing with this since our founding, from the same activist groups who want to defund the police, weaken public safety, and normalize lawlessness. Now, they're producing YouTube videos with misleading headlines.Langley also told police departments that “activist groups” are also “trying to turn a public records process into a weapon against you and against us.” In a democratic society where sovereignty rests with the people, transparency into what the government is doing is vital. In an era where powerful new technologies promise to give the government expansive new powers never before seen in human history, transparency becomes even more urgent.
The The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting writes that,
by Tallulah AnneAugust 28, 2025Flock Safety — a private company that has acknowledged federal immigration agents can access its license-plate reader data — operates in several Arizona cities. Police departments in Flagstaff, Prescott Valley and Scottsdale use Flock cameras, while Sedona paused its program in August amid community concerns over surveillance and data-sharing.Flock Safety does not appear to have a formal agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but data obtained by 404 Media revealed ICE had indirectly accessed Flock’s system thousands of times through local police departments. An AZCIR review of that data confirmed Arizona law-enforcement agencies appeared in the records, with search terms like “ICE ASSIST.”
Connecticut has laws blocking who and how they can see the data, but...
ACLU of Connecticut files more than 90 public records requests on police use of automatic license plate reader technology, including Flock Safety systemsNovember 10, 2025The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut (ACLU-CT) today called for a statewide moratorium on the use of all all automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology until the state passes legislation to prevent the misuse, sharing, and selling of driver location data, citing risks and harms to immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and those seeking reproductive or gender-affirming care. The announcement follows ACLU-CT filing 94 public records requests with police departments across the state seeking transparency about law enforcement’s use of ALPRs, including Flock Safety systems that track drivers’ movements and enable data sharing across state lines without adequate oversight or protection for vulnerable Connecticut residents.[...]The action comes amid warnings from experts, including Ken Barone of the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, who has examined how Connecticut driver-location data collected by police has been accessed by out-of-state agencies, including law enforcement in states that criminalize abortion or gender-affirming care and, in some instances, by agencies seeking information on undocumented individuals. There is mounting evidence nationwide, and across the region, that ALPR technology like Flock Safety is already being used to monitor, expose, and target marginalized communities in the state, as well as facilitate immigration enforcement and the criminalization of reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare, undermining the intent of our Trust Act and Shield Law . These findings underscore the urgent threat this technology poses to the data privacy and civil liberties of all Connecticut residents and the critical need to halt its use until the state implements comprehensive protections.
Another state is starting to question Flock's policies in sharing the data with the feds,
The Journal-CourierBy David C.L. Bauer,Aug 26, 2025Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has ordered operators of the nation's largest automated license plate reader system to end any access to Illinois cameras for U.S. Customs and Border Protection use.Giannoulias’ office audited the use of Flock Safety data and determined some Illinois law enforcement agencies had provided access to federal authorities in violation of state law.The secretary of state’s office said in June that it planned to do a sample audit of 12 local law enforcement agencies to see if data was being shared, and determined Flock Safety "did not have proper safeguards in place for data sharing."A 2023 state law prohibits license plate reader camera information from being shared with out-of-state law enforcement for such things as immigration or reproductive health care investigations without a court warrant."This sharing of license plate data of motorists who drive on Illinois roads is a clear violation of the state law," Giannoulias said. "This law, passed two years ago, aimed to strengthen how data is shared and prevent this exact thing from happening. I take my responsibility as secretary of state seriously. It’s why we spearheaded this legislation, which now gives us the tools needed to hold Flock accountable for its actions."
This show a complete disregard for laws!
- Disregard for state sovereignty when state laws restrict federal access (CT, IL, VA, etc.).
- Law-and-order absolutism, where criticism is framed as an attack on society itself.
- Delegitimization of oversight, treating public records laws and civil-liberties advocacy as hostile acts.
- Rhetorical fusion with law enforcement, rather than arms-length vendor neutrality.
Those are the same themes that show up in ICE and DHS communications during the Trump era, and they persist today regardless of administration.
It is also private businesses who use Flock cameras,
By Arriana McLymore and Ross KerberReutersJanuary 16, 2026Summary
- Investors demand Home Depot assess data privacy and civil rights risks
- Home Depot faces criticism for ICE raids in store parking lots
- Flock Safety's data had been used in immigration enforcement investigations, according to independent media reports
A group of Home Depot (HD.N), opens new tab investors is asking the company to review its partnership with surveillance firm Flock Safety and state how its data is used and shared with law enforcement, following reports by an independent media outlet that the vendor's data has been used in Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations.Home Depot locations have become hotbeds for ICE arrests, after U.S. Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller said the agency should target the home improvement chain, where migrant day laborers are known to gather.[...]The investor group wants an "assessment of privacy and civil rights risks, including discrimination or wrongful detention from misuse of customer data," according to the proposal seen by Reuters."Such practices may expose the Company to financial and legal risks, including potential data breaches and enforcement of evolving state privacy laws," shareholders said in the proposal. "The Company already faces reputational risks stemming from frequent immigration enforcement raids occurring near its stores and heightened public concerns regarding data privacy."
Companies are starting to question if their private customer information is being shared with ICE!
Big brother is watching you as you go to your doctor's for trans healthcare!
Big brother is watching you as you go to a women's health clinic!
Big brother is watching you as you go to a trans support group!
Big brother is watching you!
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