US cities are axing Flock Safety surveillance technology

The internet is roasting Flock Safety as city after city pulls the plug on its license-plate cameras and police-linked drones. After Bend, Oregon shut down its deal, commenters erupted: one called the rollout an “open-air prison,” another dubbed it “Panopticon as a service.” Meanwhile, a self-described skeptic dropped a stat bomb, claiming San Francisco credits Flock for a 10x drop in car break-ins—and the thread immediately split into Team Privacy vs. Team Results.

Fuel for the fire? Reports that police departments were sharing Flock data with federal immigration agents, despite the company saying there’s no direct partnership—cue a study showing multiple agencies quietly opened the door to ICE. Add the scrapped Ring tie-up—after a Super Bowl “find lost dogs” ad no less—and users called the whole thing dystopian dog-whistle. One commenter even joked about “how much copper” is inside the cameras, like the neighborhood raccoon is suddenly into scrap metal.

For the uninitiated: Flock installs automated license plate readers (ALPRs) that snap plates and alert police; now it’s moving into drones that can launch on 911 calls and chase cars at 60 mph. Critics say it’s a watchtower for every driveway. Supporters say it stops break-ins and burglary sprees. The wild card? HOAs can buy in without a city vote, and not every sign says “Flock,” so neighbors may not realize what’s watching. Verdict from the comments: a full-on culture clash where crime-fighting stats collide with civil-liberties alarm bells, and the memes are spicy enough to set off a siren.