Florida Bans Flock License Plate Readers Amid Police Stalking Concerns
The short version: NewsWatch 12 reports Florida DOT will stop permitting Flock ALPR cameras on state roads after stalking concerns — a rare instance of a state agency pulling back.
Our Take
Credit to NewsWatch 12 for flagging a story that doesn't get enough airtime: a state transportation agency actually pumping the brakes on Flock Safety's camera network. If Florida DOT is pulling ALPR permissions along its highways over stalking concerns, that's not a hypothetical risk — it's an acknowledgment that this data has already been weaponized against the people it's supposedly protecting, including, in documented cases nationwide, by officers themselves.
This matters because most of these camera deployments happen with zero public hearing, buried in a city council consent agenda or a quiet vendor contract. A DOT reversal, even a partial one, is a crack in the 'just trust us' messaging Flock and its police partners have relied on. It also underscores a point we hammer on constantly: once a dragnet of plate reads exists, who gets access to it — and what they do with that access — is nearly impossible to fully control after the fact.
We don't have the full scope of Florida's policy change yet, and we'll keep watching how it plays out and whether other states follow. In the meantime, check our camera map to see what's running in your area, and if you want to push back locally, our take-action page has concrete steps.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of NewsWatch 12, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.