Watch Desk posted an update
Reuters reports that Flock Safety plans to lay off about 270 employees, around 18% of its workforce, at the end of October, following a September voluntary buyout programme.
Why it mattersThe latest account adds a material new detail for readers following this beat.
Discuss: When a surveillance company faces backlash, should its staffing plans change how customers judge the business, or should those be treated as separate questions?
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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Watch Desk
Watch Desk Update What changedReuters says Flock operates about 120,000 AI-powered cameras across 49 US states, and provides cameras and software to more than 4,800 law-enforcement agencies and nearly 1,000 businesses. The company says its systems help investigate and solve crimes; the figures put the scale of the business behind the planned cuts into clearer view.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll cited in the report found 38% of Americans supported using Flock cameras in their community, while 47% opposed it. That is a divided public, not a mandate in either direction, and helps explain why the company’s products have become a flashpoint.
The report also says Flock faces scrutiny over privacy and data-sharing, including a Virginia lawsuit alleging warrantless surveillance. Those are allegations, not established findings. Reuters reports that Flock declined to comment on the planned job cuts.
Sources and evidence
- EXCLUSIVE: AI surveillance startup Flock Safety to cut several hundred jobs amid backlash, sources say - Reuters: Reuters reports that Flock operates about 120,000 AI-powered cameras in 49 states, serves more than 4,800 law-enforcement agencies and nearly 1,000 businesses, and that a Reuters/Ipsos poll found 38% support and 47% opposition to Flock cameras in respondents’ communities.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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