I’ve been going back in forth on whether to talk about Flock or not. At the highest level, Flock is a surveillance system that includes the hardware, software and database. You’ve probably seen mention of it in the news. My intention is not to take this on as a new discussion on the blog but introduce the topic briefly and share some resources that I found useful in learning more.

How does this relate to broadband? Broadband connects the remote cameras in a way that allows quick information-sharing,

If Flock is an entirely new term to you, you might check out the Wikipedia entry. For a conversation about Flock, from the community perspective, I’d recommend Flock Off! – Episode 23 of Unbuffered, hosted by Chris Mithcell from the Institute for Local Self Reliance. You can watch, listen or read the discussion. (Video below.)

I like the discussion because it’s part technology, part policy and overall pragmatic. It’s not meant to change anyone’s mind about the topic or related topics, but it raises questions and provides some facts and data to inform us. It uses Minnesota examples – as well as others. It’s a conversation that’s interesting and informative. Chris is a trusted resource who is pretty upfront about when he’s giving opinions, when facts and when his biases might be showing.

Here’s the description from the website..

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris sits down with independent reporter Daniel Boguslaw to explore the growing friction between technology, privacy, and local governance.

The conversation centers on Flock Safety—a network of automated license plate readers and surveillance cameras—and how it has sparked a nationwide debate over corporate surveillance, national databases, and civil liberties.

Chris and Daniel begin by exploring what Flock actually is—beyond simple traffic cameras—and how its centralized, network-wide license plate tracking creates massive databases of human movement.

They examine how private surveillance data is increasingly bought, repackaged, and utilized by federal agencies to bypass constitutional protections, enabling broader dragnet tracking and political intimidation.

From there, the conversation turns to the growing grassroots resistance to mass surveillance. Daniel and Chris discuss how citizens across the political spectrum are exercising local civic power through city councils to cancel Flock contracts and reject ungoverned technology in their communities.

Finally, Chris and Daniel tackle the false choice between total surveillance and public safety, contrasting high-tech dragnet systems like Flock and ShotSpotter with proven, trust-building community policing strategies.

Throughout the episode, Chris and Daniel connect these local battles to broader questions about civil liberties, corporate power, and how everyday people can reclaim control over the technology in their lives.

This show is 55 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.