Florida and Texas Move to Ban Flock Surveillance Cameras Over Privacy and Abuse Concerns

The state of Florida is moving to end its relationship with surveillance technology company Flock, following Texas's similar action last week. Florida’s Department of Transportation issued a memo on Monday stating it will cease using license plate readers across the state’s highways, explicitly citing Flock’s cameras and referencing “concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes.” The state now has 30 days to remove the cameras.

The decision comes days after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the license plate reading technology “out of control” during a press conference last Wednesday.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office last week ordered state agencies to stop funding Flock cameras, citing abuse of the surveillance system. Specifically referenced was the recent indictment of a police officer in Lufkin, Texas, on 100 felony counts related to allegedly searching Flock’s database to track people without authorization. Abbott’s office did not specify which agencies would be affected, but local media reports indicate Dallas could be broadly impacted, as officials say there are hundreds of Flock cameras operating throughout the city.

The moves come amid rising bipartisan concerns over privacy and civil liberties. Reports have detailed cybersecurity issues, police officers abusing their access to Flock’s database to stalk their ex-partners, and accuracy problems that have led to police stops and wrongful arrests. Recent reporting also shows that Flock cameras are moving beyond scanning license plates and are being used to identify and track people themselves.

Flock currently operates around 130,000 license plate readers across the United States and has faced increasing pushback from communities concerned about surveillance.

Why This Matters

Immediate policy shift: Two of the most populous states are pulling funding from Flock cameras, signaling a potential tipping point in how law enforcement surveillance technology is regulated at the state level.
Bipartisan privacy concerns: The backlash spans Democratic and Republican governors, reflecting growing unease across the political spectrum about mass surveillance, data security, and police accountability.
Expansion of surveillance capabilities: Flock is reportedly moving from tracking vehicles to identifying people, raising the stakes for civil liberties and forcing a broader public debate about the acceptable scope of automated surveillance.

Background

Flock Safety is a US-based company that sells automated license plate recognition (ALPR) cameras and analytics software to law enforcement agencies, homeowners’ associations, and businesses. Its network of roughly 130,000 cameras creates a searchable database of vehicle movements. Recently, reports of police officers using the system to stalk ex-partners, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and erroneous data leading to wrongful arrests have fueled political backlash. Texas and Florida are now the highest-profile states to formally restrict the technology's use.

Key Perspectives

Privacy and civil liberties advocates: Argue that Flock's network constitutes mass surveillance without warrant oversight, that data accuracy is unreliable, and that the system is ripe for abuse, as evidenced by recent criminal charges against officers.

Law enforcement agencies: Supporters of the technology say it is a critical tool for solving crimes, finding missing persons, and deterring criminal activity, and that abuses represent a small number of bad actors rather than systemic failures.

Flock Safety: The company has previously stated it takes privacy and security seriously, vets users, and maintains audit logs. However, the recent orders from Florida and Texas suggest those measures have not been sufficient to satisfy state leaders.

Critics/Skeptics: Question whether local agencies will actually remove the cameras given the funding streams involved and the complexity of removing hardware already deployed across thousands of locations. There is also concern that the ban may only affect state-funded cameras, leaving many local and private installations untouched.

What to Watch

Whether other states follow Florida and Texas with similar orders or legislation.
The outcome of the 100-count felony case against the Lufkin officer, which could set a precedent for how officer misuse of surveillance databases is prosecuted.
Any response from Flock, including potential legal challenges or further operational changes aimed at retaining customer trust and government contracts.

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