RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is joining a growing group of Republicans raising concerns about Flock Safety’s automated cameras, warning that the technology has potentially gone too far and calling for greater privacy protections.
DeSantis said on Wednesday that the public is justified in being concerned about how the cameras collect and share information, indicating a systemic overhaul is warranted.
He said the cameras are "out of control" and that he's all for having law enforcement have tools to hold criminals accountable, but "I don’t want this to become a surveillance state.”
"I think you've got to have protections for people, but go after criminals-great, let's all do that, but surveilling just regular Floridians' movements and how that data's used, you know that's a bird of a different feather," DeSantis said.
Craig Agranoff, political professor at Florida Atlantic University, told Newsweek on Wednesday that DeSantis' remarks "fit a growing bipartisan skepticism about the rapid expansion of automated license plate readers. He has always emphasized strong support for law enforcement tools, so the explicit warning about a surveillance state stands out."
"At the same time, concerns over data retention, who can access the information, and the sheer volume of cameras have been building for months among both conservatives focused on limited government and privacy advocates. Calling for legislative limits is consistent with his recent emphasis on AI guardrails. It is not a full reversal, but it does signal that even law & order Republicans are drawing lines around continuous tracking of everyday movements," Agranoff concluded.
Newsweek reached out to DeSantis' office via email on Wednesday for additional information.
The Republican backlash comes as more than 120,000 camera locations have been identified nationwide, according to privacy-focused mapping site FlockHopper, which tracks Flock and other automated license plate reader cameras.
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley is calling for a "compromise" between having both public safety and balancing privacy, he told Fox News recently, as the company faces growing backlash over its license plate reader cameras. Langley has defended the technology’s role in solving crimes while acknowledging concerns over misuse and supporting stronger safeguards and accountability.
Flock Safety also recently announced new privacy and accountability safeguards, including reducing default data retention to seven days and requiring misuse detection and greater transparency for customers.
Supporters say the cameras help police investigate crimes and respond to emergencies. Critics, however, have increasingly questioned how much information is being collected, who can access it and whether the systems allow for surveillance of people who are not suspected of wrongdoing.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican, has taken the concerns to Capitol Hill, he announced Wednesday, opening a formal investigation into Flock Safety. Hawley is seeking information about who can access the company’s database and how. His investigation adds federal scrutiny to a debate that has largely played out at the state and local levels.
The concerns have also prompted action from local governments. Tempe, Arizona, announced Wednesday that it had shut down its Flock camera system and plans to end its contract with the company, saying the potential for misuse outweighed the benefits of the technology. The decision came after the city had already restricted outside access from other law enforcement agencies to its camera data earlier this month.
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is also criticizing Flock, warning that its AI-powered cameras represent a form of mass surveillance that could threaten Americans’ privacy and civil liberties if left unchecked. The progressive said he plans to introduce legislation to stop Flock and AI mass surveillance.
The growing Republican criticism highlights the bipartisan political coalition forming around the issue. While Flock and law enforcement agencies argue that the cameras can be valuable public-safety tools, concerns over government surveillance, data access and privacy are increasingly drawing opposition.
This follows Republicans who previously called for cracking down on the cameras. Those lawmakers included:
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