The founder of surveillance company Flock Safety is under fire for calling people who track his license-plate cameras "terrorists," raising alarm about how much power camera companies hold over the public.

• Flock Safety runs license-plate cameras used by police across the country, paid for with state and local tax money.
• Its founder labeled a group called DeFlock a "terroristic organization" and compared it to Antifa.
• DeFlock simply maps where Flock's cameras are so people know they are being watched — it is not violent.
• The clash highlights a double standard: the company tracks everyone, but treats anyone tracking the company as a threat.
• It also points to how these firms turn public tax dollars into private fortunes.

Outlook: Expect more pushback over license-plate surveillance and the companies profiting from it, with privacy fights likely to grow.