Security · Updated 15 Oct, 03:00 am IST
Flock CEO says microphones detect only gunshots while website lists broader uses
Why it matters for readers: It matters because it shows the gap that can appear between what a company says publicly and what its product actually does, especially for surveillance tech.
- Flock CEO Garrett Langley said the company’s microphones detect "just gunshots," pushing back against criticisms,1
- Flock’s website describes the audio systems as able to detect things beyond gunfire, such as street takeovers, severe crashes, fireworks and sideshows,1
- The Gunshot Detection feature drew pushback after Flock initially said it would listen for "screaming," a phrasing privacy groups condemned, prompting the company to change wording to "sounds of human distress,"1
- Flock later said it removed the ability to detect "distress" from customers who experimented with that capability,1
- Langley defended the product onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt, saying critics misunderstand how the systems work,1
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