Deputy AG Todd Blanche Pushes Back on Host Over AI Surveillance Fears

Our Take

Credit to CISO Marketplace for getting a sitting Deputy Attorney General on record dodging hard questions about government AI surveillance. When Todd Blanche pivots to 'consumer benefits' and 'FBI safeguards' instead of answering what limits exist on scooping up Americans' location and phone data, that's not an accident — it's the standard playbook. Ask any official about mass data collection and you'll get a product pitch, not a policy.

This exchange matters to our beat because ALPR networks like Flock Safety run on the exact same logic Blanche is defending: trust us, the technology helps catch bad guys, don't worry about the rest. There's rarely an independent audit, rarely a public vote, and rarely a straight answer about retention, sharing, or who gets to query the database. 'Guardrails' promised by industry and officials after the fact are not the same as consent given up front by the communities being watched.

If a federal official can't give a straight answer about safeguards on AI-driven surveillance, don't expect your local police department or Flock's sales reps to do better. Check our camera map to see what's already watching your streets, and head to take-action for ways to push back before silence becomes consent.