Florida blocks Flock cams on state highways
Florida is banning Flock cameras and other automated license plate readers across state highways, as reported earlier by NBC News and local news outlet WUSF. In a memo on Monday, Florida's Department of Transportation says it's revoking permits for all license plate readers, adding that they must be removed from state highways within 30 days. […]
A recent Texas investigation revealed that the state now hosts an estimated 13,000 Flock surveillance cameras, many of which were funded by drivers who paid a $1 annual insurance surcharge. Over a quarter of the cameras were reportedly financed through this fee, which raised $81 million for Flock deployments since its introduction in 2023.
The money also funded around 2,000 cameras for local police and a $15.9 million investment for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Despite lawmakers' surprise at the cameras' usage, the fee has sparked opposition, with some localities canceling contracts and voters in League City considering a ballot measure on the matter. Critics warn that the widespread use of automated license plate readers raises privacy concerns and could violate constitutional protections.
Meanwhile, Uber has rolled out live video streaming for teen rides in several US markets, allowing parents to monitor their children's trips in real-time.
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- $1 is all it took for Texas to litter the state with Flock surveillance cameras from drivers’ pockets digitaltrends.com
- Florida says it is revoking permits for Flock cameras and similar license-plate readers on state roads and no longer intends to issue such permits (Ryan Gillespie/Orlando Sentinel) orlandosentinel.com
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott orders state agencies to pause funding for Flock cameras; an investigation found an agency allocating $30M+ to build Texas' Flock network (Ayden Runnels/The Texas Tribune) texastribune.org