Cyber Awareness
Abbott Halts State Funding for Flock Surveillance Cameras Amid Privacy Concerns
Gov. Greg Abbott has directed all Texas state agencies to suspend funding for Flock surveillance cameras, as scrutiny over the AI-powered devices intensifies. The directive came Thursday night, just as The Texas Tribune was set to publish an investigation revealing that a state agency had allocated at least $30 million toward expanding Texas' Flock camera network through grants to local police departments.
Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris confirmed the order Friday, stating, "To the extent that cities get any funding for those cameras, most of it comes from the federal government. To the extent any funding comes from Texas agencies, those agencies are clarifying that those funds cannot be used for Flock cameras."
The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, whose board is largely appointed by Abbott, has supported the installation of at least 3,200 Flock cameras across state and local agencies since 2023. The Texas Department of Public Safety alone is installing nearly 1,200 cameras under a three-year, $15.9 million contract with the authority. Funding for these grants originated from a 2023 law that added a $1 fee to Texas auto insurance policies to help combat catalytic converter theft. Lawmakers told the Tribune that using these funds for Flock cameras was never discussed before the law passed unanimously in both the House and Senate.
Flock cameras are advanced license plate readers that use artificial intelligence to record and store detailed vehicle information, including make, model, color, and distinguishing features such as bumper stickers or dents. Agencies using the cameras can share access with other departments, forming a large interconnected surveillance network across the country.
In response to the funding pause, Flock Safety issued a statement saying it supports "thoughtful legislation" that includes privacy protections while preserving the technology's use for law enforcement. The company said its tools help "solve serious crimes, find missing people, recover stolen vehicles, and support safer communities."
During a radio interview Friday, Abbott discussed what he called a statewide "crackdown," noting that several cities and counties have begun canceling their contracts with Flock Safety amid growing public concern over privacy and misuse. He cited the case of a Lufkin police officer facing 100 counts of misusing public information after allegedly using Flock cameras to surveil 11 people for more than a year. Over the past month, at least six police departments and sheriff's offices in Texas have reported placing officers on leave, launching investigations, or filing criminal charges related to camera misuse.
"This is something that is easily containable, easily controllable, and we're ensuring that whether it be through criminal crackdowns, whether it be through cancellation of contracts, whatever the case may be, Flock cameras are being reduced dramatically," Abbott said during the interview with Glenn Beck. "They're going to be required to be used responsibly if they're used at all."
Earlier in the week, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Gina Hinojosa released an ad criticizing Abbott for the proliferation of Flock cameras statewide, describing the technology as a form of "warrantless surveillance." In a social media post, she urged Abbott to "stop turning Texas into a surveillance state."
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have voiced concerns over the scale of Flock's camera network and the volume of data it collects. Agencies that participate in Flock's national lookup program can access shared camera data from across the country. In July, U.S. Rep. Keith Self, a Republican from McKinney, introduced legislation requiring federal agencies to obtain warrants before accessing Flock camera data. Self said the bill aims to protect constitutional privacy rights, stating, "Americans' Fourth Amendment right to be secure in their privacy does not disappear just because of new technology or artificial intelligence."