Flock Not Threatening Critics of Surveillance Technology
▼ Summary
– A cease and desist letter, allegedly from Flock Safety, was posted by The Saturday Salon, claiming it was taped to their door to stop discussions of Flock’s surveillance technology.
– Flock Safety denies sending the letter, with executives calling it a forged part of a disinformation campaign and stating the company encourages public debate.
– The letter contains suspicious details, including an incorrect title for Flock’s chief legal officer and a bounce-back email address.
– A second forged letter targeting musician Noah Orion for “Fuck Flock” stickers includes errors like misspelling the company name and misusing “persecute” for “prosecute.”
– The Saturday Salon says it is politically neutral and would welcome Flock representatives to speak at their lectures.
A surveillance technology firm at the center of ongoing controversy is pushing back against claims that it tried to silence critics with a legal threat, insisting the document in question is a forgery. The dispute erupted this week after a California lecture series shared an image of what appeared to be a cease and desist letter from Flock Safety, sparking fresh outrage over the company’s practices.
On Thursday, the Instagram account for The Saturday Salon, a Newport Beach-based lecture group, posted a photo of the letter, accusing Flock of attempting to shut down discussions of its technology. “WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED,” the group wrote, a sentiment that quickly gained traction online. The Instagram post has garnered more than 3,000 likes, while a related post on Bluesky has over 360 reposts. In a direct message to The Verge, Schuyler Lifschultz of The Saturday Salon said the group “found this letter taped to our front door.”
Flock Safety, however, categorically denies sending any such letter. Rahul Sidhu, the company’s chief strategy officer, described the document as part of a broader disinformation campaign targeting the firm. “Flock never sent this letter, these people made it up (with a forged signature) to try to manipulate people,” Sidhu said. “We are pro-democracy. People SHOULD have discussions and lectures like this.”
Dan Haley, Flock’s chief legal officer, reinforced that stance in a statement to The Verge, confirming that the company is aware of “at least two forged” letters circulating online. “These letters did not come from me or from anyone at Flock,” Haley said. He added that Flock welcomes public debate and would be happy to participate in any future discussions hosted by the group.
A close examination of the letter’s photo reveals several inconsistencies. For instance, Haley’s title is listed as “Head of Legal Affairs Division,” though his actual role is chief legal officer. Additionally, an email address included in the letter bounced back when The Verge attempted to contact it.
Lifschultz told The Verge that The Saturday Salon remains open to dialogue, saying the group would “love to have somebody from Flock come in and tell their views and give a lecture. We are politically neutral and not a business.”
The second alleged forgery involves musician Noah Orion, who shared a similar letter on Instagram. Orion’s website sells “Fuck Flock” stickers, and the letter claims he engaged in conduct “involving the unauthorized dissemination” of visual materials, encouraging fans to place stickers in a manner deemed “rude and unusual” toward the company. This letter also contains red flags, such as referring to the company as “Flock Cameras” and “Flock incorporated [sic].” It further warns that noncompliance “may result in Flock Group inc. [sic] to persecute you,” a phrase that awkwardly misuses “persecute” in place of “prosecute.” Orion did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Source: The Verge)
