Flock is a company that has made a name for itself as Big Brother. They are an automated license plate reader system, commonly used by law enforcement agencies, private neighborhood communities, and businesses to track vehicle movements. Law enforcement officers have also used it to stalk current and past partners, crushes, and other innocent citizens.
Here is how it works:
You drive by a Flock Camera (which is pretty small – just a stick with a small, cell phone-sized black camera affixed). It photographs every single car that passes, recording the license plate, make, model, color, state, and any uniquely identifiable features – dents, bumper stickers, etc.
That information is logged into a large database. This database is searchable, so anyone with access can track your movements from camera to camera, learning your activities, routine, etc. PERFECT for stalkers who happen to have a badge.
Privacy advocates, civil rights groups, and average citizens who don’t want to be tracked by Big Brother have objected to these systems, leading many cities and counties to end their contracts with Flock.
This is pushing Flock into the FO phase of FAFO. Wired is now reporting that Flock started rolling out a “voluntary severance program” on Friday. They are “offering a “generous” severance package to those who want to leave amid growing backlash against the surveillance technology company.”
Oops.
Employees reportedly have until October 2nd to decide whether to stay on a sinking ship or leave. Flock “expects to grant buyouts to the majority of workers who apply.” The company has about 1,500 employees, and it expects a “significant” number to leave.
This attempt to stop the bleeding comes after Flock lost customers and large contracts. The company is fairly new, about 9 years old. They were valued at over $8 billion in April. Losing all those contracts will absolutely slash that valuation.
Wired reports that some current Flock employees “received buyout offers in the range of tens of thousands of dollars.” They were also offered “several months of health care coverage and the ability to exercise stock options within two years after separation.”
GOOD. Burn it to the ground.
