Flock, Axon and Motorola SKIP Senate Surveillance Hearing

Our Take

Credit to the Flock Off channel for flagging this one, because it tells you everything you need to know about how these companies view public accountability: when Sen. Josh Hawley invites the CEOs of Flock Safety, Axon, Motorola, and Verkada to answer questions before the Senate Judiciary Committee, they all find somewhere else to be. These are the companies blanketing American towns with license plate readers, body cameras, and surveillance networks that feed data to police departments and, increasingly, to federal agencies — but when it's time to explain themselves to elected officials in public, the boardroom goes quiet.

This isn't a one-off scheduling conflict. It's a pattern. Flock in particular has built a business model on moving fast, signing contracts with local governments before residents even know what's being installed, and avoiding the kind of scrutiny that a Senate hearing would bring. A no-show at a hearing about the very technology they sell sends a clear message: they'd rather keep operating in the gaps between regulations than defend their practices on the record.

That's exactly why local vigilance matters more than ever. If the people profiting from this surveillance won't answer to the Senate, they sure aren't going to volunteer information to your city council. Check our camera map to see what's already been installed near you, and visit our take-action page if you want to push back before another contract gets signed quietly.