Resident criticizes city's Flock surveillance contract, urges informed consent

Marion Spurgeon told the Galesburg City Council during public comment that residents did not have meaningful informed consent when the city approved a contract with the vehicle-surveillance service Flock.

"I went back and read the minutes from 11/20/2023 when city council approved the flock contract," Spurgeon said, alleging earlier official concerns about data use have since been borne out. She told the council the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the ACLU and other groups are arguing that the scope of data collection and use raises Fourth Amendment concerns.

Spurgeon urged the council and local law enforcement to stop what she described as reflexive acceptance of corporate surveillance practices and to provide the public with a clear chance to give or withhold informed consent. No staff response or formal motion to change the contract was recorded during the public-comment period.