Flock announces several changes after months of InvestigateTV reporting, continued backlash
The short version: Flock's founder admits reforms 'came from listening' only after InvestigateTV's months-long investigation and public backlash exposed how loosely ALPR data was shared.
Our Take
Credit where it's due: WDRB and WAVE's InvestigateTV team didn't let this story go, and that persistence is exactly why Flock Safety is now scrambling to announce changes. But let's be clear about the sequence of events here — the company isn't leading on privacy, it's reacting to getting caught. When a surveillance vendor says fixes 'came from listening,' what they really mean is 'came from getting cornered by reporters and lawmakers.'
That's the pattern with Flock over and over: quietly build a nationwide database of vehicle movements, sell access to thousands of agencies with almost no meaningful oversight, and only tighten the rules once journalists or advocates force the issue into daylight. Calling on state leaders to act is a smart PR move too — it shifts responsibility for guardrails onto legislatures instead of the company that built the system with none. Voluntary policy tweaks from a for-profit surveillance vendor are not a substitute for binding law, audits, or public accountability.
If you want to see whether one of these cameras is watching your street, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back on unchecked ALPR expansion in your own city or state, our take-action resources can help you get started.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WDRB+WAVE, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.