Flock CEO defends surveillance technology amid national backlash: ‘We shouldn’t pause progress’

Flock founder and CEO Garrett Langley defended his company’s surveillance technology on Wednesday at the TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 conference in San Francisco. Speaking on a panel, Langley argued that society should not pause technological progress despite growing national backlash, cancelled contracts, and recent layoffs. Flock manufactures license plate cameras and other recording devices used by law enforcement.

During the interview, Langley deflected direct questions about privacy concerns and abuse. He instead pointed to conversations with police chiefs and stories of solved crimes, while asserting that reduced privacy is a necessary trade-off for lower crime rates. Langley compared the public resistance to his surveillance tools to the backlash against artificial intelligence and driverless cars.

He stated that technology should be judged against past methods rather than an impossible standard of perfection. While acknowledging that Flock devices do not perform facial recognition, he noted they can still detect and track people. When pressed about how to prevent the misuse of surveillance equipment, Langley offered no detailed solutions.

He maintained that ethical usage decisions should rest with city leaders rather than his company, adding that he believes the social benefits of his products outweigh the criticism.