Question of the Day
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How does an unauthorized camera reactivation turn a “cancelled contract” into an ongoing data-governance failure?
Take-away Contract “termination” fails when the vendor retains remote control over sensors, so a reactivation bypasses municipal holds and restarts data collection by default.
Unauthorized camera reactivations transform a "cancelled contract" into an ongoing data-governance failure by undermining the termination process and continuing the collection of potentially sensitive data without proper authorization. In multiple instances, such as in Dayton, Minnesota and Plymouth, Minnesota, Flock Safety did not comply with contract cancellation requests and proceeded to reactivate cameras without municipal authorization, thereby ignoring official holds and maintenance work orders [1]. This non-compliance results in a failure to respect data governance policies as laid out in the contract terms and expected by local authorities. Moreover, reactivating surveillance cameras after a clear request for their removal raises significant privacy concerns and questions the integrity of governance over digital systems, as municipalities are unable to enforce their decisions effectively under the current setup [2].
- Flock keeps ignoring requests to cancel its contracts | The Verge theverge.com (opens in new tab)
- Police Chief physically unplugs Flock cameras after the company ignores contract cancellation — city takes matters into its own hands amid privacy controversies | Tom's Hardware tomshardware.com (opens in new tab)