July 17, 2026
Caught on camera: apology edition
Flock CEO Apologizes for Calling Activists 'Terrorists'
CEO Backtracks After Smearing Critics as ‘Terrorists’ — and the internet is not buying it
TLDR: Flock Safety’s CEO apologized for calling anti-surveillance activists “terrorists” as anger grows over the company’s car-tracking camera network. Commenters mostly saw the apology as damage control, with many arguing this kind of monitoring feels less like public safety and more like life in an “open air prison.”
This story isn’t just about an apology — it’s about a community absolutely unloading on a surveillance company boss they think said the quiet part out loud. Flock Safety, the company behind a huge network of car-tracking cameras used by police and local governments, is facing a growing backlash after CEO Garrett Langley told Forbes he regrets calling anti-surveillance activists “terroristic.” He now says the remark was a mistake and admits critics have “real valid criticisms.” Online? People are responding with a giant, sarcastic sure, Jan.
The strongest reaction by far is deep distrust. One commenter flatly declared, “he’s just sorry he got caught saying the quiet part out loud,” while another summed up the broader fear in blunt terms: Americans don’t want to live in an “open air prison.” That mood is being fueled by a pileup of bad headlines: reports of ICE access, stories about police allegedly using the system to stalk women, and Flock’s earlier attempts to pressure anti-Flock websites.
And because this is the internet, the rage came with jokes. The standout burn? “He puts the ‘sir’ in surveillance state.” Another commenter offered a brutal PR take: apologizing only created more news. Meanwhile, the big argument underneath all the snark is serious: can a company built on watching cars everywhere really promise both safety and privacy, or is that just glossy damage control with cameras attached?
Key Points
- •Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley apologized for previously calling DeFlock a “terroristic organization” and said the comment was a mistake.
- •The article describes Flock Safety as an $8.3 billion surveillance company with more than 80,000 cameras tracking vehicles.
- •Recent criticism of Flock has intensified over reported ICE access to camera data, a discontinued Ring partnership, and reports of police misuse of license plate readers.
- •Langley said Flock does not work with ICE and that vehicle data is typically retained for 30 days unless a government customer requests otherwise.
- •The article says Flock previously sent cease-and-desist letters to DeFlock in early 2025, but Langley now says public mapping of camera locations is acceptable if no crime is involved.