ACLU says most of Flock's safeguards fall short
American Civil Liberties UnionACLU statement by privacy advocate Chad Marlow
The ACLU said most of Flock's announced safeguards did not resolve the underlying privacy concerns, while allowing that shorter default retention might prove useful.
Responding to
Flock's August 2026 safeguards meaningfully address privacy and misuse concerns about its license-plate reader network.
“Several of the proposed changes Flock is touting are merely retreads of previous inadequate safety measures.”
Official statement

Where this statement fits
Did Flock Safety's August 2026 privacy safeguards address concerns about its camera network?
Flock Safety announced new controls for its license-plate reader network on August 13, 2026. The ACLU said a shorter default retention period might help but argued that the broader package left major privacy risks unresolved. The dispute concerns the adequacy of Flock's safeguards, not whether the company announced them.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Chad Marlow's response for the ACLU to Flock Safety's August 13 privacy and accountability announcement. The response discusses retention, Evidence Mode, interagency sharing, auditing and search controls.
Before the quotation
Chad Marlow responded to Flock's August 13 announcement for the ACLU.
After the quotation
He questioned Evidence Mode, offense filters, audit tools and search codes, and called for stronger independent scrutiny.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The ACLU's overall conclusion rejects the adequacy of the package despite a limited favorable assessment of shorter default retention.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Flock Safety
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- ACLU says most of Flock's safeguards fall short
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The Dispute Index. "ACLU says most of Flock's safeguards fall short". First published: 2026-09-28. Last updated: 2026-09-28. https://disputeindex.com/events/2912-the-aclu-said-most-of-flock-s-announced