Surveillance technology company Flock is implementing mandatory security updates and shorter data retention policies following reports of law enforcement officers using its tools to stalk private citizens.

Key Points

• Flock is making its "Audit Assistance" feature mandatory, which automatically flags abnormal search behavior and locks out suspicious users until an administrator reviews the activity.
• All law enforcement users must now enter specific case codes to perform searches, preventing unauthorized queries for personal or non-official purposes.
• The company is reducing its default data retention period for license plate reader information from 30 days to seven days.
• New "Evidence Mode" settings allow agencies to set granular limits on data sharing, restricting access for specific types of investigations like immigration enforcement.
• CEO Garrett Langley acknowledged the company's responsibility for oversight after reports surfaced of officers using the technology to harass ex-partners.

Why it Matters

These policy shifts represent a significant change in strategy for Flock, which previously deferred all regulatory oversight to local lawmakers. By standardizing these guardrails, the company aims to mitigate systemic abuse of police power while addressing growing public and civil rights concerns regarding mass surveillance.