Flock cameras face backlash in Silicon Valley's hometown — even from 'Darth Vader'

Palo Alto, California is the hometown of many Silicon Valley tech leaders. Now, that same city is taking a hard look at surveillance cameras made by a company called Flock Safety. These cameras use artificial intelligence to scan license plates and track where vehicles go. Local officials are asking questions about who can see the data and whether it crosses a line.

Palo Alto's independent police auditor is reviewing how the city's police use Flock cameras. The review looks at who can access the data, how long it is kept, and whether it can be shared with other agencies. The city council is expected to finalize the scope of the review soon. After that, officials will decide if changes are needed.

Investigations found that some police officers used Flock cameras to track romantic partners and exes. The cameras record license plates, car colors, stickers, and movement patterns in a searchable database. More than 50 cities and agencies have canceled or paused their Flock contracts since the start of the year. Cities like Los Angeles and Redmond, Washington, have shut the cameras off entirely.

A man dressed as Darth Vader drew attention at a San Diego City Council meeting. He spoke sarcastically in favor of the cameras, breathing heavily into the microphone like the Star Wars villain. He joked that the cameras were needed to follow children from playgrounds to pools to gymnasiums. He ended by joking that he needed them to stalk his ex-girlfriend — making the point that the technology could easily be misused.

Flock's CEO, Garrett Langley, said privacy concerns are valid but people need to also think about safety. He argued that the country needs to find a balance between the two. Palo Alto's police chief called the cameras a 'tremendous investigative tool' that helps solve cases and find missing people. He said he is confident officers are using the technology the right way.

Flock announced new rules after the backlash grew. The company said police will have to use tools that catch misuse and link searches to specific criminal cases. It also plans to cut the data storage time from 30 days down to seven days. But many communities say these changes are not enough.

Two Rhode Island towns recently ended their Flock contracts. Narragansett's Town Council voted unanimously on August 3 to cancel its contract early over privacy concerns. Just days later, Glocester voted 4-1 to remove the cameras, even though it could cost the town up to $15,000. These decisions show that the debate over Flock cameras is far from over.