Flock Uses Overseas Gig Workers To Build Its Surveillance AI

Flock, a company using AI-powered cameras, employs overseas workers via Upwork to train its machine learning algorithms. These workers are tasked with reviewing and categorizing footage collected by Flock's surveillance cameras in the United States. The exposed training materials, obtained by 404 Media, detail tasks like classifying vehicles, transcribing license plates, and reviewing audio. Flock's cameras are deployed in thousands of communities, used by police for investigations, and accessed by ICE. The use of overseas workers raises concerns about who has access to sensitive surveillance footage. Flock's AI is trained to detect various details including license plates, clothing, and even potentially race. Workers complete massive amounts of annotations, critical for training the AI. The annotators, found through their online profiles, are located in the Philippines. The footage reviewed includes images from various US states, as shown in the provided screenshots. Upwork provides the platform for these AI training services. This practice poses questions about privacy and data security.