This Is Flock’s AI Search Tool for Cops
wired ·
Flock Safety sells police AI search tools that go beyond license plates, letting officers describe a person in writing and have cameras continuously search for matches across a defined area. WIRED obtained and analyzed the software from the company's browser code, revealing that a moderation system on Flock's servers rates descriptions against sensitive categories like race, religion, and political expression, returning verdicts to allow, block, or warn. Only political, social, and cultural expression triggers a warning rather than a block, which experts criticize because it is an area strongly protected by the First Amendment. The company says reforms such as shorter data retention, required case codes, and automated auditing will be mandatory by the end of the year, but WIRED's analysis indicates these measures may discourage abuse without actually stopping searches. Dozens of police officers across the U.S. have recently been accused of misusing Flock tools for stalking or personal reasons, often targeting wives, ex-partners, or women they wanted to meet. Experts also note that no automated screening at this scale is reliably accurate, and while Flock warns officers results may be inaccurate, it places responsibility on the officer. Because the AI model runs on Flock's servers, police departments cannot independently measure error rates, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
wired