How exactly does remotely spying on kids practicing gymnastics make them safer?

Our Take

Musician-turned-tech-critic Benn Jordan is asking the question that should be on everyone's mind: why would anyone at a surveillance company need eyes on toddlers doing cartwheels? His video walks through Jason Hunyar's reporting alleging that Flock employees accessed camera feeds tied to a preschool and a private gymnastics facility. Jordan is careful not to accuse anyone of the worst-case scenario, but he's right that 'technical reasons' and 'product demos' don't cut it as an excuse to pull up live video of other people's kids.

This is the core problem with letting a private company operate a nationwide surveillance backbone with minimal outside oversight: the cameras don't stay pointed at what you were told they'd be pointed at, and the people with backend access aren't accountable to the communities being watched. A network sold to city councils as a tool against stolen cars and hit-and-runs somehow ends up with staff peering into a kids' gym. That gap between the sales pitch and the actual capability is exactly why these systems deserve scrutiny every time a new one goes up in your town.

Credit to Benn Jordan for pushing this into wider view. If you want to know whether Flock or similar ALPR/camera systems are already watching your neighborhood, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back locally, our take-action guide has concrete steps.