Florida and Texas Move Against Flock License Plate Readers Citing Privacy and Misuse Concerns

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the usefulness of the systems was clear but defended the cutback as a curb on excessive monitoring. “What we don't want in the state of Florida is to have a digital AI surveillance state where everything we're doing is being tracked at all times,” he told reporters. Fox Business reported that agencies, including Flock, have 30 days to comply with the removal order. In a memo, the Florida Department of Transportation cited “concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes” as the basis for the move.

TechRadar noted that investigations over the past year had found police officers using Flock systems outside their authorized remit.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to pause funding for Flock cameras, the Texas Tribune reported. Abbott said in a radio interview that any future use of the technology would have to be responsible. About 3,200 Flock license plate readers have been installed in Texas since 2023.

At least six police departments and sheriff’s offices across Texas have said in the past month that officers were placed on leave, criminally charged or investigated for misuse of the camera network. The Texas Tribune also reported that $30 million in taxpayer money had gone toward the Flock network, with more public funding due to be added before the pause was announced.

Not all officials oppose the systems. One Texas police chief said the cameras were essential for disrupting criminal networks. Flock has moved to tighten its privacy practices, setting seven days as the default period for deleting data not linked to a criminal investigation. Whether the technology is ultimately treated as useful or invasive remains an open question.