Flock cameras face nationwide backlash over privacy and misuse concerns
The short version: CBS Austin reports Flock cameras are still being vandalized in Florida even after a ban, underscoring how deep public anger over ALPR surveillance runs nationwide.
Our Take
CBS Austin, building on reporting from The National Desk, captures something we've been saying for a while: the backlash against Flock Safety isn't a few isolated incidents, it's a pattern. Cameras getting torched or torn down in Florida after officials supposedly pulled the plug on them tells you people don't trust a quiet policy memo to actually stop the data collection. When a ban doesn't match what's happening on the ground, residents start taking matters into their own hands.
That gap between official promises and on-the-ground reality is exactly why we keep pushing for transparency over trust-us assurances. Pennsylvania's fight with Shapiro, PennDOT, and local sheriffs over these contracts shows the same dynamic playing out at the state level — vendors and law enforcement agencies are slow to unplug systems even when the political winds turn against them. Bans on paper mean little if the hardware stays bolted to the pole and the data keeps flowing to whoever still has access.
Credit to CBS Austin and The National Desk for keeping a camera on this story as it spreads state to state. If you want to see whether Flock or similar ALPR systems are active near you, check our map, and if you're ready to push back locally, our take-action page has steps for making noise at your next city council meeting.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of CBS Austin, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.