Texas Governor Halts State Funding for AI Surveillance Cameras Amid Growing Backlash
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state agencies to cease funding for Flock Safety’s artificial intelligence-powered surveillance cameras, marking the latest setback for the license-plate-reader company as criticism of its national network intensifies.
The directive was issued Thursday night, Abbott’s office confirmed to The Texas Tribune. The newspaper reported the move as it prepared to publish an investigation revealing that a state agency had allocated at least $30 million to expand Texas’s Flock network through grants to local police departments.
Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson, told The Tribune that agencies are being informed that state funds cannot be used for Flock cameras, noting that most municipal funding for these devices originates from the federal government.
According to The Tribune, the state’s Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority has facilitated the installation of at least 3,200 Flock cameras since 2023. The Department of Public Safety has added nearly 1,200 more under a $15.9 million contract. A significant portion of this funding can be traced back to a 2023 law that added a $1 surcharge to auto insurance policies to combat catalytic converter theft. Lawmakers informed The Tribune that these funds were never intended for surveillance cameras.
In a radio interview, Governor Abbott described an ongoing “crackdown” as cities cancel contracts due to privacy concerns and reports of misuse, The Tribune reported. He referenced a Lufkin officer facing 100 counts of misusing public information for allegedly surveilling 11 individuals, and stated that at least six Texas departments have placed officers on leave or under investigation in the past month.
Flock cameras utilize AI to record vehicle details such as make, model, color, and bumper stickers. These cameras can be networked, allowing agencies nationwide to share access and creating an extensive surveillance web that critics argue operates with minimal oversight.
This broad reach has made the company a focal point of controversy. Opposition has coalesced into a bipartisan movement, with the dispute extending to Capitol Hill. Lawmakers from both parties have voiced concerns about the scale of Flock’s network and the volume of data captured by each camera.
The pressure has escalated in recent weeks. Senator Bernie Sanders pledged to introduce federal legislation to halt what he termed “AI mass surveillance,” warning that the technology is pushing the country toward a surveillance state. Over the past year, Flock has aggressively expanded its presence across the country, including a police tool that enabled officers to track individual drivers and a planned nationwide plate-scanning fleet that would have involved Uber drivers in data collection on the move.
Despite increasing scrutiny, Flock has maintained that its technology serves as a public safety tool. The company told The Tribune that it supports well-considered legislation with privacy safeguards. Last week, Flock CEO Garrett Langley suggested in an interview with Fox News that Americans should be willing to “compromise” on privacy, adding that those who frame the debate as a choice between privacy and safety are “prioritizing the wrong thing.”
With contract cancellations spreading, criminal charges mounting against officers accused of system abuse, and politicians from both sides of the aisle opposing its use, the company faces a deepening crisis of public trust, exacerbated by Governor Abbott’s funding freeze.
