Flock announces policy changes after public backlash over cameras

Controversial public surveillance company Flock Safety tightened its rules Thursday after reports of systematic abuse and public backlash have led cities around the country to drop its contracts. The more than 120,000 cameras make up a nationwide network available to police departments and federal agencies, according to the company. A recent Washington Post investigation found 46 cases in which officers were accused of using Flock’s cameras for personal uses, some of which included stalking current or former romantic partners.

The surveillance company announced that it will start requiring officers to enter a criminal case number in order to access the network. While law enforcement may work around this in emergencies, the searches will be flagged for further review.

The baseline standard had repeatedly been dodged, according to the ACLU. In September 2025 alone, an Oregon police department used the word “investigation” 111 times and “hehehe” 20 times to bypass the guardrails, the ACLU said. According to Flock, the case code requirement will be mandatory in the future. The database’s data retention default will also be shortened from 30 days to seven, and data control safeguards will be strengthened, the company announced. The seven-day data retention switch is only a default, and can be overruled, MIT Technology Review pointed out. Flock called the changes a continuation of the company’s commitment to safety and privacy, as it works to create a better standard for public safety technology.

The ACLU called these changes a thinly veiled PR attempt to counter communities’ genuine privacy concerns over the mass public surveillance system’s largely hollow promises, rather than a genuine attempt to address them.

ACLU’s senior policy counsel Chad Marlow said in a Thursday statement that the act of transforming what he described as an exceptionally dangerous mass surveillance system into one that is fully protective of civil rights and civil liberties is difficult, if not impossible. He added that this was particularly the case with a company like Flock, which is funded by nearly $1 billion in venture capital that has locked it into a mindset that trades privacy for massive profits.

In the United States, some citizens have expressed their opposition to the cameras by cutting down the camera poles or snipping the cords connecting the cameras to their power sources. People have also stood vigil in front of the cameras holding up signs to block their view, or mirrors to reflect the image of the camera itself. Despite protests, the cameras continue to be installed in towns and cities across the country.

— Editor’s note: This story has been changed to include additional information.