Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is demanding transparency from Flock Safety regarding its expansive network of AI-driven surveillance cameras, which some fear may have created a searchable national database tracking Americans' movements. Hawley told Fox News Digital, "Flock has assembled an unprecedented national surveillance network," citing the company's deployment of over 120,000 cameras across 49 states and more than 20 billion vehicle scans each month.

Flock Safety's automated license plate reader cameras use artificial intelligence to identify vehicles by license plate, make, model, and color, assisting law enforcement in crime investigations and locating missing persons. However, the technology has faced criticism from privacy advocates concerned about mass surveillance and the collection of motorists' location data.

In response to these concerns, several Texas communities, including Hood County, have decided to discontinue their agreements with Flock Safety. Hood County Constable John Shirley was seen covering a Flock camera following the county's decision to disconnect the devices. Pflugerville Mayor Doug Weiss stated, "Public safety and public trust have to go hand in hand, and recent revelations about the Flock system have fueled concerns throughout the community; we can’t engage with organizations we can’t trust."

Flock representatives expressed willingness to cooperate with Senator Hawley and the relevant Subcommittee to clarify how their technology operates, the safeguards in place, and how law enforcement utilizes the system to solve crimes and find missing individuals.

Senator Hawley emphasized the need for reform, stating, "The number one reform that I think is needed here is a warrant," and urged, "Go to a judge, explain to the judge why you should be able to use this tool."

The ongoing investigation aims to determine who has access to the data collected by Flock's cameras and how it is being used.

Sources