AI Surveillance Startup Flock To Cut Several Hundred Jobs Amid Backlash, Sources Say (yahoo.com)
(Friday October 09, 2026 @11:00PM (EditorDavid)
from the getting-the-picture dept.)
- Reference: 0186084700
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/26/10/09/2026244/ai-surveillance-startup-flock-to-cut-several-hundred-jobs-amid-backlash-sources-say
- Source link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-ai-surveillance-startup-flock-002004251.html
[1]Reuters reports :
> Flock plans to let go of about 18% of its employees, people with direct knowledge of the plans said on Thursday, as the maker of AI-powered surveillance cameras and license-plate readers faces mounting opposition to its products from communities and lawmakers....
>
> The company has about 1,500 employees [with job cuts hitting 270 employees]. Flock faces growing scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers, and privacy advocates, despite drawing strong investor interest among venture capitalists. A recent [2]Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Americans are divided on whether Flock cameras are a good idea. Some 38% of the country supports the use of Flock cameras in their community, compared to 47% who oppose their use.
A related story... In Texas this week a county commissioner decommissioned all 61 of their Flock surveillance cameras and license plate readers, [3]according to a local news report . County residents "have raised serious questions about who can access this data, what vendors can disclose, improper searches, and records being kept after data expires," the precinct's Chief Public Affairs Officer said.
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-ai-surveillance-startup-flock-002004251.html
[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/who-likes-flock-ai-cameras-reutersipsos-polled-1000-americans-find-out-2026-09-11/
[3] https://abc13.com/post/harris-county-precinct-4-shuts-down-61-flock-cameras-amid-privacy-concerns/19923505/
> Flock plans to let go of about 18% of its employees, people with direct knowledge of the plans said on Thursday, as the maker of AI-powered surveillance cameras and license-plate readers faces mounting opposition to its products from communities and lawmakers....
>
> The company has about 1,500 employees [with job cuts hitting 270 employees]. Flock faces growing scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers, and privacy advocates, despite drawing strong investor interest among venture capitalists. A recent [2]Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Americans are divided on whether Flock cameras are a good idea. Some 38% of the country supports the use of Flock cameras in their community, compared to 47% who oppose their use.
A related story... In Texas this week a county commissioner decommissioned all 61 of their Flock surveillance cameras and license plate readers, [3]according to a local news report . County residents "have raised serious questions about who can access this data, what vendors can disclose, improper searches, and records being kept after data expires," the precinct's Chief Public Affairs Officer said.
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-ai-surveillance-startup-flock-002004251.html
[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/who-likes-flock-ai-cameras-reutersipsos-polled-1000-americans-find-out-2026-09-11/
[3] https://abc13.com/post/harris-county-precinct-4-shuts-down-61-flock-cameras-amid-privacy-concerns/19923505/
As Mr. Miyagi might say, (Score:2)
by jenningsthecat ( 1525947 )
"Flock on, Flock off"
I really do hope that they Flock off, but cockroaches are perennial survivors so I'm not terribly optimistic.
Good (Score:1)
Fuck em. Would be nice if they finish the job and go under completely. And take Axon and the Motorola shit with them.
No sympathy whatsoever or the people who lost their jobs.
Re: (Score:2)
> No sympathy whatsoever (f)or the people who lost their jobs.
I have no sympathy for the developers and managers and salespeople who fully knew the nature of the evil they were aiding and abetting. Also, no sympathy for the owners and investors.
But the lower-level people probably had less knowledge of, and less ability to figure out, how evil the product / service is. Also, many of them were likely choosing between working for an evil company, and losing healthcare, food for their kids, and educational opportunities. I DO have some sympathy for folks in that position.