Bipartisan Opposition Grows Against Flock Surveillance Cameras
Both Democratic and Republican leaders are uniting against the use of Flock surveillance cameras, which currently operate tens of thousands across the U.S. Recent polls indicate significant public disapproval, leading some governors to take action against their implementation.
Sources
gathered data, and Flock currently operates about 120,000 surveillance cameras in the US, conducting approximately 2 billion scans monthly. A poll shows that 46% of Americans oppose the use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in their communities, a significant increase of 13 points from the previous year. Bipartisan political actions against Flock include Texas Governor Greg Abbott blocking state agencies from purchasing Flock products and Bernie Sanders planning to introduce legislation to restrict their use.
Both Republicans and Democrats are increasingly opposing Flock surveillance cameras, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announcing plans to block their use on state roads, while Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro advocates for bipartisan legislation to ban them statewide. The Flock cameras capture billions of license plates each month and have faced criticism for misuse, including stalking, and public sentiment has shifted with recent polls showing more Americans disapproving of these cameras than approving. The bipartisan concerns stem from various issues, including fears of government overreach and misuse for tracking marginalized groups, contributing to a broader desire to limit law enforcement surveillance technology.