Benn Jordan's Flock Safety Investigation Fuels Growing Surveillance Backlash

Musician and researcher Benn Jordan has become a prominent voice in the debate over surveillance through his investigations of Flock Safety, which makes automatic license plate readers. He recently testified at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Flock and similar systems, amid mounting bipartisan criticism. Hundreds of local governments have reportedly canceled Flock contracts, Senator Josh Hawley is investigating the company, and Reuters reported it plans to cut about 18 percent of its workforce. Jordan says he does not oppose Flock as a company, but argues its combative posture toward critics was a failure, and he now communicates with its leadership and reports security flaws. He frames the broader problem as a secretive relationship between private firms, government, and law enforcement.