Flock CEO defends surveillance technology amid national backlash: ‘We shouldn’t pause progress’
Flock CEO Garrett Langley defended his company's surveillance technology, arguing that increased accountability for crime justifies the trade-off in public privacy. He compared the inevitability of surveillance to the adoption of AI and driverless cars, framing it as essential progress.
Why it matters
The article highlights the ongoing tension between public safety initiatives and individual privacy rights in an era of rapid technological deployment.
Flock’s founder and CEO Garrett Langley doesn’t think the risks of introducing surveillance technology at scale outweigh the rewards.
“If we want to live in a society where, if you commit a crime, you have a higher probability of being held accountable, we shouldn’t pause progress,” Langley said, speaking on stage during a panel at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco on Wednesday.
During the interview, the controversial founder of the surveillance maker of license plate cameras and other recording devices deflected hard questions about the criticism Flock now faces — which has since led to cancelled contracts and even layoffs . Instead, Langley tended to respond to questions with anecdotes from conversations with police chiefs and city leaders across the United States, and tales of the supposed numerous crimes Flock has solved, rather than offer tangible solutions to people’s concerns.
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