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Watch · Our Take

Flock is on the ballot in six states. Both parties are running against it.

Flock U · 1 day ago

The short version: Flock cameras have become a genuine bipartisan midterm issue, with candidates from Talarico to Tiffany and senators like Sanders and Hawley all pushing back.

Our Take

Credit where it's due: Flock U is tracking something we've been saying for a while — this isn't a left-right issue, it's a power issue. When a progressive Texas Senate candidate and a Wisconsin Republican running for governor both find reason to campaign against license plate readers, that's not partisan noise. That's a signal that ordinary people across the spectrum are waking up to what a nationwide, largely unregulated camera network parked on their streets actually means.

The details in this rundown matter more than they might seem. Rhode Island's governor pausing the program, Hawley opening a Senate investigation, Sanders filing federal legislation — these aren't fringe gestures anymore, they're the machinery of accountability starting to turn. Pair that with Gallup's finding that public trust in big tech is at a record low, and you've got the exact conditions that make surveillance infrastructure vulnerable to real oversight, maybe even rollback. Companies like Flock built their footprint fast, largely under the radar, betting that convenience and "public safety" framing would outrun scrutiny. That bet is looking shakier every election cycle.

We'd add one caution: candidate rhetoric during a campaign season is cheap until it's converted into actual votes, funding cuts, or contract cancellations. If you want to see whether Flock has already set up shop near you, check our camera map, and if you want to do something about it beyond watching politicians talk, our take-action page has the tools to push your own local officials on the record.

This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Flock U, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.