Garrett Langley, Flock Safety CEO, faces scrutiny over AI license plate cameras, privacy concerns, surveillance and accuracy issues across the US.

Updated on: Aug 18, 2026, 20:40:46 IST

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Garrett Langley is the CEO and co-founder of Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based technology company behind a huge network of AI-powered license plate cameras across the US. Langley is 38 years old and grew up in Atlanta. He later studied electrical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Before starting Flock Safety, Langley worked on other businesses. He founded Clutch, a monthly car subscription service, and later created an app called Experience with two other Georgia Tech graduates. The Experience app focused on sports and concerts. It allowed users to upgrade regular seats to VIP-style experiences.

Flock Safety founder

Langley later teamed up with the same two Georgia Tech graduates to start Flock Safety in 2017. The company was created after Langley became concerned about crime in Atlanta. The first Flock camera was very basic. Langley and his friends used an Android phone inside a waterproof box. The camera took pictures of cars and license plates, which could then be searched through an app.

Flock has since grown into a major surveillance technology company. Its cameras are now installed in every US state except Alaska, according to NewsNation. The company says it has more than 120,000 cameras across the US and works with thousands of law enforcement agencies. The cameras use AI to read license plates and track vehicles, allowing police to search vehicle movements and investigate crimes.

Langley believes Flock's technology could dramatically reduce crime. He told Forbes in 2025 that he believes it is possible to have cities with very little or even no crime while still protecting civil liberties. But Flock has faced growing criticism over privacy and surveillance. Critics argue that the huge camera network allows police and other users to track where people drive.

Flock Safety criticism

The backlash has become serious in several US cities. Some protesters have physically damaged or removed Flock cameras, while some cities have voted to cancel, reject or not renew contracts with the company.

At least 54 US cities have voted to cancel, reject or not renew Flock contracts since the beginning of the year, according to Futurism. The moves show how strongly the company's surveillance system is being challenged. Flock has also faced concerns over how its technology is used by law enforcement. Critics have raised cases involving alleged false arrests, misuse of the system and officers using the technology to follow people.

Flock privacy concerns

The company has tried to push back against the idea that Flock is creating a “Big Brother” surveillance system. Langley told Bloomberg that Flock is not “Big Brother” and said the company's focus is on protecting people. Langley has also defended Flock's goal of helping police fight crime. Flock has introduced some changes as pressure over privacy has increased, including an audit tool for law enforcement searches and a shorter data retention period.

Privacy groups say those changes do not solve the bigger problem. The American Civil Liberties Union called the changes a “step in the right direction” but said some of the measures were similar to earlier protections that were not strong enough.

Flock camera accuracy

The company's cameras have also faced questions about accuracy. A recent investigation by the Roseville Police Department in California found that Flock cameras incorrectly identified one license plate number as another in 71% of cases between 2023 and 2024. The accuracy concerns raise the risk of false matches. If a camera incorrectly reads a license plate, police could potentially connect the wrong vehicle to an investigation.

Feder was stopped by police after Flock's system incorrectly connected his vehicle to a stolen-plate alert. The incident was later linked to a license plate-reading error. The controversy has put Langley at the centre of a much bigger debate.

Supporters see Flock as a tool that can help police solve crimes faster, while critics say the growing camera network creates serious risks for privacy and civil rights. For Langley, the challenge is now balancing those two sides. Flock is continuing to expand its technology while facing pressure from protesters, cities, lawmakers and civil liberties groups over how its surveillance system is used.

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