Florida and Texas Cut Back on Flock License Plate Cameras

Florida and Texas are scaling back their use of Flock license plate reader cameras amid concerns about misuse, privacy and surveillance.

Florida has removed all license plate readers from state roads and given agencies, including Flock, 30 days to comply with the order. Governor Ron DeSantis said he sees potential uses for the systems but does not want Florida to become a digital AI surveillance state where people are tracked continuously.

A Florida Department of Transportation memo cited reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes. Investigations over the past year have found police officers using Flock systems outside their allowed remit.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to pause funding for Flock cameras amid increasing scrutiny. About 3,200 Flock license plate readers have been installed in the state since 2023. Abbott said the cameras must be used responsibly if they are used at all.

At least six police departments and sheriff's offices in Texas have announced that officials were placed on leave, criminally charged or investigated over alleged Flock camera misuse in the last month. The Texas Tribune reported that $30 million in taxpayer money had been spent on the state's Flock network.

Flock has moved to strengthen security and privacy, including making seven days the default period for deleting data not linked to a criminal investigation. Debate over the technology's usefulness and intrusiveness is continuing.