Flock Said Its Cameras Don't Track People. Then a Reporter Proved Them Wrong (www.gadgetreview.com)

Flock Safety's Condor camera, which the company claims does not track people, has been shown to actively follow and zoom in on individuals during a demonstration, contradicting their public messaging. This pan-tilt-zoom camera is equipped with AI capabilities that allow real-time tracking of human movements and is designed to stream live video to law enforcement. Investigations revealed that Flock has a network of approximately 80,000 to 100,000 cameras, performing over 20 billion scans monthly, with reports indicating that the data can be accessed by authorities like ICE and CBP without warrants. The significance of these findings lies in the implications for privacy and civil liberties, as many communities are unaware of the pervasive surveillance being conducted. Flock’s insistence that their cameras focus solely on vehicles ignores the capabilities of the Condor model, which effectively replaces traditional tracking methods with a biometric dimension. Grassroots efforts like DeFlock are emerging in response, as residents seek to map the locations of these cameras that often operate without public consent, raising critical questions about surveillance policies and individual rights in the digital age.