For Immediate Release
S.T.O.P. Concerned By Flock Surveillance Ethics Allegations
(New York, NY, 1/9/25) – Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, expressed concerns about the allegations from a former Flock employee who claims he was pressured to misuse his government office. In his state lawsuit, Ulises Cabrera claims that when working as a Community Engagement Manager at Flock, a national surveillance company that sells automated license plate readers, he was pressured by supervisors to misuse his position as Mayor of Moreno Valley to benefit Flock.
SEE: TechCrunch – Flock Safety quietly hired a sitting California mayor. Now he’s suing Flock.
https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/08/flock-safety-quietly-hired-a-sitting-california-mayor-now-hes-suing-flock/
“This isn’t just one ethical allegation, it’s a flock of them,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “Disturbing to see claims that this company would pressure staff to unethically misuse a government position. Just as concerning to see claims that Flock would hide the true scope of its invasiveness from the communities it surveils. This adds to the growing body of evidence that American surveillance is fueled by a broken revolving door between industry and government.”
In 2023, S.T.O.P. launched a day of action to highlight biased NYPD enforcement of obstructed license plate laws, issuing mock “community tickets” to officers with obstructed plates. The day of action accompanied S.T.O.P.’s release of Obstructed Justice: NYC’s Biased License Plate Enforcement, a report detailing how the NYPD targets Black and BIPOC drivers when enforcing obstructed license plate laws.
SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. ‘Day Of Action’ Highlights Biased NYPD License Plate Ticketing
https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2023/2/16/stop-day-of-action-highlights-biased-nypd-license-plate-ticketing
The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.
--END--
CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn, 571-766-6273, albert@stopspying.org.
|
|
|
|
