The states of Florida and Texas are taking steps to discontinue their use of Flock’s surveillance technology, citing privacy concerns and reports of misuse. Florida’s Department of Transportation announced it will cease using license plate readers, including Flock’s cameras, across the state’s highways within 30 days, citing “concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes.” This decision follows Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ recent remarks describing license plate reading technology as “out of control.”
Texas has also ordered state agencies to halt funding for Flock cameras, with Governor Greg Abbott’s office citing abuse of the surveillance system, including the indictment of a Texas police officer on 100 felony counts for allegedly unauthorized database searches. While the specific agencies affected were not detailed, local media suggest Dallas, with hundreds of Flock cameras, could be significantly impacted. These actions reflect growing bipartisan concerns over privacy, civil liberties, cybersecurity issues, and instances of police misconduct involving Flock’s technology. Flock, which operates approximately 130,000 license plate readers nationwide, has faced opposition from communities and municipalities, some of which have terminated contracts only to see cameras reinstalled or reactivated. Flock did not respond to a request for comment on the states’ decisions. Source