Flock CEO Claims Wife Advised Him 'Never Apologize' Amid Privacy Backlash

Garrett Langley, the CEO of surveillance camera company Flock Safety, suggested in leaked audio that his wife advised him to "never apologize" as the company faces criticism over privacy concerns related to its network of license plate-reading cameras. The remarks were made during a private gathering with police chiefs in Orlando, Florida, according to audio obtained by 404 Media.

Langley asserted that much of the online backlash against Flock was not genuine and pointed to Russian bots as a driving force behind the outrage. "I give my wife a lot of credit. She was, like, you should never apologize," Langley stated, as reported by 404 Media. "Sure, people make mistakes. I've made a lot of mistakes in the last nine years. I made a lot of mistakes this summer. But we do good work."

This statement comes after Langley had previously apologized to activists in July for calling their group a "terroristic organization," according to Forbes. Langley also suggested that a decrease in online backlash coincided with a Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian data center, implying a connection.

"It went down 50 percent last week when Ukraine bombed a Russian data center with a drone. Literally 50 percent overnight," Langley said. "And so look, I’m the last person, my wife as well, she’s like 'This is crazy, these people are getting paid to say these things.'" Langley offered no evidence to substantiate these claims.

He further argued that while inorganic activity, such as bot activity, may have sparked some organic reactions, the protests appeared manufactured. "Inorganic activity has led to organic activity, but when I look at protests across the country, it is the same people with the same signs and the same message," Langley added. "That's not normal. That's not organic at all."

Langley also expressed a desire to avoid media interactions, stating, "I'd like to never do media again if that's possible. The media gets to say whatever they want to say about you."

Flock Safety has deployed approximately 100,000 cameras across the United States, according to the BBC. These devices capture images of passing vehicles, recording their license plates, locations, and travel times, which can be used to construct detailed travel logs. While law enforcement uses the technology to track stolen vehicles and suspects, civil liberties organizations argue that it can inadvertently collect data on innocent individuals, whose movements could then be searched without a warrant.

Concerns have been amplified by reports of officers allegedly using the system to monitor ex-partners and instances where incorrect alerts led to the detention of motorists. Flock states that data is deleted after 30 days by default, with retention periods varying based on local contracts and state laws. The company also maintains that its customers control data access and that all searches are logged and auditable.

Despite these assurances, a growing number of communities are restricting or discontinuing their use of Flock's technology. The American Civil Liberties Union reported in June that over 55 communities had terminated Flock contracts in the preceding year, citing fears of warrantless surveillance, potential federal access to local data, and insufficient municipal oversight.