Story perspectives

Flock Cuts Default Data Retention to Seven Days

8/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

Flock announced it will cut default data retention from 30 days to seven days after backlash.
Police say the program helped make over 400 arrests and recover about $6 million in stolen property.
San Diego police report vehicle theft dropped roughly 20% between 2023 and 2024.
The ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties urged the city to abandon the Flock system over privacy concerns.

History

Historical Context

In 2013 Edward Snowden revealed the NSA’s bulk-metadata program, which the agency collected more than five billion phone-location records each day under court orders such as the April 25 Verizon order. The revelations sparked worldwide legal challenges, including the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties’ suit against the San Diego Police Department’s contract with surveillance firm Flock, whose seven-day data-retention policy mirrors the same privacy concerns.

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Story summary

Flock announced it will cut default data retention from 30 days to seven days after backlash.
Police say the program helped make over 400 arrests and recover about $6 million in stolen property.
San Diego police report vehicle theft dropped roughly 20% between 2023 and 2024.
The ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties urged the city to abandon the Flock system over privacy concerns.

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