Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley has said the company’s gunshot-detection microphones only identify gunfire, despite its official website advertising the ability to detect fireworks, car crashes, and other public safety incidents. Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco, Langley defended the surveillance technology amid concerns about its audio-monitoring capabilities and potential privacy implications.
The company’s Gunshot and Audio Detection product page describes a system capable of identifying gunshots, street takeovers, severe vehicle collisions, and sideshows. When questioned about the difference between those advertised capabilities and his statements, Langley maintained that the microphones detect only gunshots.
Flock Clarifies Its Audio Detection Capabilities
Langley told TechCrunch editor-in-chief Connie Loizos that Flock developed the technology because many people do not contact emergency services after hearing gunfire. The company subsequently tested additional detection capabilities after customers expressed interest in identifying possible abductions and other incidents involving people in distress.
Flock initially advertised the system as capable of detecting screaming, prompting criticism from privacy organizations concerned about monitoring human voices. The company later changed its description to detecting sounds of human distress before removing that capability from its customer trials.
According to Flock’s official explanation, the company discontinued human-distress detection following customer feedback and public concerns. Langley acknowledged that the earlier approach had raised questions but maintained that the current system focuses on gunfire detection.
However, Flock spokesperson Paris Lewbel subsequently clarified that the technology can also identify fireworks, sideshows, and potential car crashes. He said the system is not designed to monitor conversations or analyze speech and does not currently detect human screaming or distress.
Flock’s website also states that its detection library continues to expand to address additional public safety incidents requested by customers. Langley said the company’s microphone deployment is comparable in scale to ShotSpotter, which reportedly operated approximately 25,000 microphones in 2024.
Privacy Concerns and Growing Opposition to Flock
Flock’s audio detection system has faced criticism from privacy advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, over concerns about collecting sounds in public spaces. Critics have questioned whether microphones deployed across neighborhoods could enable broader monitoring beyond detecting gunfire.
The company’s license plate recognition cameras have also faced scrutiny over their use by law enforcement agencies and reported cases of unauthorized surveillance. During Langley’s appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt, protesters gathered outside the venue to oppose Flock’s monitoring technology.
Texas and Florida have taken steps to end certain relationships involving Flock cameras over privacy concerns, while Amazon’s Ring canceled its planned partnership with the company in February 2026. Reports of residents damaging or covering Flock cameras have also emerged in communities opposing their installation.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.