Flock Safety's NEW business model is insane
The short version: Ruby Whim's satirical breakdown argues Flock Safety is quietly monetizing the very backlash — vandalism, spray paint, and 'nomark' takedowns — it should be worried about.
Our Take
Ruby Whim's video pokes at something we've been watching too: Flock Safety's response to a growing wave of camera tampering, spray-painting, and outright removals isn't retreat — it's a business opportunity. If vandalized units mean paid repair visits, replacement hardware, and new service contracts, then public anger becomes recurring revenue instead of a liability. That's a strange incentive structure for a company that insists it's just a neutral tool for public safety.
The comedy framing doesn't make the underlying facts less serious. Reporting from outlets like the Guardian, the ACLU, and the Institute for Justice has documented misuse ranging from officers running plate lookups to stalk romantic interests to Flock representatives allegedly misleading city councils about how the data is stored, shared, and retained. When a surveillance vendor can profit whether the public loves or hates its product, there's little market pressure pushing toward transparency or restraint — which is exactly why grassroots pushback, from spray paint to organized 'nomark' campaigns, keeps spreading.
Credit to Ruby Whim for turning a genuinely absurd corporate incentive into something people will actually watch and share. If you want to know whether Flock or similar ALPR systems are already running near you, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back locally, our take-action page has practical next steps.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Ruby Whim, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.