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Hashem Al-Ghaili S͏e͏d͏o͏p͏t͏r͏s͏n͏o͏3͏0͏6͏a͏0͏a͏9͏5͏l͏0͏7͏6͏7͏3͏8͏t͏h͏m͏c͏l͏8͏1͏7͏f͏1͏8͏a͏7͏m͏3͏0͏l͏8͏1͏7͏2͏c͏i͏a͏u͏2͏g͏0͏4͏a͏3͏m͏f͏h͏g͏ · Local governments in the U.S. are switching off Flock AI cameras amid serious privacy and mass surveillance concerns. The high-speed automated license plate readers developed by Flock Safety are designed to help police find stolen vehicles and locate suspects by logging plates, times, and locations. However, the surveillance network—which now maps over 122,000 active cameras nationwide—is facing a significant grassroots revolt. According to data from the anti-surveillance group DeFlock, 95 U.S. jurisdictions have rejected proposed installations, while dozens more have canceled contracts or deactivated operational cameras. Concerns range from the erosion of public trust to fears that private vehicle data could be accessed by federal agencies. Additionally, police officers in dozens of U.S. states have been accused of — and in some cases, even terminated for — using the cameras to stalk partners and exes. This rising resistance spans across multiple states, including California, Wisconsin, New York, and Washington. In El Cerrito, California, city leaders turned off their Flock cameras following anxieties that local resident travel logs could be fed into a broader federal surveillance database. Similarly, in Appleton, Wisconsin, officials halted use of the network after security and trust concerns eroded local confidence. As public pressure mounts, communities are increasingly demanding accountability and asking whether the crime-fighting benefits of real-time vehicle tracking are worth sacrificing the privacy of ordinary citizens. source: Greenwood, A. (2026). Map Shows Cities That Have Rejected, Deactivated Flock Cameras. Newsweek.