Flock CEO Calls Critics 'Terrorists' Unpacking the Surveillance State Debate #politics #flocksafety
The short version: Pardon The Politics Podcast flags reports that Flock Safety's CEO branded ALPR critics 'terrorists,' a framing that treats privacy advocacy as a threat.
Our Take
If the reporting in this Pardon The Politics Podcast segment is accurate, it's a telling moment: the head of a company that sells a nationwide network of license plate cameras to police departments allegedly describes people who question that network as 'terrorists.' That's not a rebuttal, it's a rhetorical move designed to shut down debate before it starts. When a surveillance vendor can't engage with concerns about data retention, warrantless tracking, or mission creep without reaching for the most inflammatory label available, that tells you something about how confident they are in the substance of their answer.
This matters because Flock Safety isn't a fringe player — its cameras are logging the comings and goings of ordinary drivers in thousands of towns, often with little public debate before installation and even less oversight after. Calling critics 'terrorists' is a page out of an old playbook: reframe accountability as an attack. Journalists, civil liberties advocates, and city council members asking who can access this data, how long it's kept, and who it's shared with are doing exactly the job a healthy democracy requires of them.
We'd encourage readers to watch the full video and judge the exchange for themselves — credit to Pardon The Politics Podcast for putting it on the record. Then 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 at the local level.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Pardon The Politics Podcast, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.