Flock cameras draw opposition from across the political spectrum
A bipartisan coalition of politicians, including governors from both parties, is pushing back against the use of Flock surveillance cameras. Concerns over privacy and the potential for police misuse have led to calls for bans and funding freezes.
Why it matters
This movement highlights a rare point of political alignment regarding the limits of government surveillance and the use of AI in law enforcement.
There are plenty of issues Republicans and Democrats disagree on, but increasingly, they're aligned on this: they want Flock surveillance cameras gone.
The widespread backlash against AI-powered license plate readers, which allow police to track people over time, is becoming more of a political issue as the midterm elections approach in races from Florida to Ohio and Wisconsin .
At a press conference late last month, Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said he believes law enforcement needs public safety tools, but Flock cameras are not among them.
"I would welcome bipartisan legislation to ban these across the state," Shapiro said. "This is not something in the public interest."
Earlier this week, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to revoke permits for license plate readers on state highways.
"I'm all about having law enforcement have tools," DeSantis said. "But I don't want to have this become a surveillance state."
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