Flock CEO Garrett Langley defends his company's cameras, arguing that reducing crime means sacrificing privacy in return and that "we shouldn't pause progress"

Surveillance cameras that track people's movements are being offered with fewer mandated features and more customizable defaults.

Flock CEO Garrett Langley defended his company's surveillance technology at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, asserting that reducing crime necessitates a trade-off with privacy. He argued against pausing technological progress, stating that societal advancement means accepting certain risks. Langley deflected criticism regarding cancelled contracts and layoffs by focusing on Flock's successes in solving crimes, as reported by police chiefs and city leaders. He likened Flock's development to that of driverless cars, suggesting that isolated incidents should not halt progress but rather lead to improvements. Langley acknowledged Flock's imperfections and the company's mistakes, but maintained that the benefits of reduced crime and increased accountability for perpetrators outweigh the privacy concerns, framing it as a necessary sacrifice for a safer society. He emphasized that Flock provides tools but leaves the ethical implementation to city leaders.

Langley's defense positions Flock's surveillance technology as an inevitable evolution in public safety, drawing parallels to AI and driverless cars. This framing suggests a market where privacy concessions are presented as a prerequisite for crime reduction, potentially normalizing such trade-offs for consumers and municipalities. The company's stance indicates a business model that prioritizes deployment and widespread adoption, even amidst ethical debates and customer cancellations.

The CEO's approach highlights a tension between technological advancement and public consent, mirroring broader discussions around AI ethics. Flock's strategy of offering recommendations and defaults rather than mandated features signals a move towards user-driven policy-making for surveillance tech, which could influence how similar technologies are regulated or adopted in other sectors.