“It’s creepy”: Flock cameras, Meta glasses, and the fight for privacy
The short version: Kara Swisher's show puts Flock's ALPR network and Meta's smart glasses side by side, and the 'creepy' verdict lands because both quietly normalize being tracked.
Our Take
When a mainstream tech interviewer like Kara Swisher starts using the word "creepy" about license plate cameras, that's a signal the conversation is finally catching up to what we've been documenting for years. Pairing Flock Safety's ALPR network with Meta's smart glasses is a smart editorial move — both are pitched as convenience or safety tools, and both quietly hand private companies (and whoever they share data with) a running log of where you go and who you're with.
The over-7,000-department stat gets thrown around a lot, but the real story is how little oversight exists at the local level. Most city councils that approve a Flock contract never ask how long the data is kept, who else can query it, or what happens when ICE, a divorce lawyer, or a stalker with a badge gets access. That's the gap this outlet exists to track.
Credit to the On with Kara Swisher team for putting this in front of a bigger audience. If the segment leaves you wondering whether your own neighborhood is wired up, check our camera map, and if you want to push back on a local deployment, our take-action page has the templates to start.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of On with Kara Swisher, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.