{
  "id": 8326827,
  "title": "Texas stops issuing permits for Flock cameras along state roads",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/texas-stops-issuing-permits-for-flock-cameras-along-state-roads",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T22:58:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian US",
    "slug": "the-guardian-us",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/18/texas-flock-camera-permits"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has stopped issuing permits for Flock cameras and other automated license plate readers to be installed along state roads, at the direction of Republican Governor Greg Abbott. This pause does not affect the nearly 900 cameras already installed along state rights-of-way, according to The Guardian US.\n\nThe move comes amid growing concerns and protests over surveillance technology, with some residents using unconventional methods to express their opinions. For example, a man dressed as Darth Vader satirically endorsed Flock cameras at a San Diego public safety meeting in August, according to Business Insider.\n\nFlock Safety, the company behind the cameras, has deployed around 120,000 license plate readers, Business Insider reports. The Texas Department of Public Safety operates over 900 of these cameras along state rights-of-way, which will continue to function unaffected by the permit pause.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Business Insider",
        "title": "A Darth Vader costume, a poem, and droning noise: Americans get creative to protest Flock cameras and data centers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/a-darth-vader-costume-a-poem-and-droning-noise-americans-get-creative",
        "published": "2026-09-18T09:58:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Texas freezes installation of Flock cameras along state roads",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/texas-freezes-installation-of-flock-cameras-along-state-roads",
        "published": "2026-09-18T19:56:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}