Sen. Bernie Sanders said he will introduce legislation targeting Flock Safety, warning that artificial intelligence is pushing the United States toward what he called a "surveillance state."
In a lengthy post on X published Wednesday, the Vermont independent opened with "STOP FLOCK. STOP AI MASS SURVEILLANCE" and said unchecked tracking technology could steer the country toward totalitarianism.
Sanders says Flock has built a vast camera network
Sanders said Flock, which he described as backed by tech figures Marc Andreessen and Peter Thiel, has installed more than 120,000 AI-powered cameras across the country. He said the system scans and records 20 billion vehicles every month in more than 6,000 communities.
He argued that the company’s reach extends into routine parts of daily life. Wherever Flock operates, Sanders said, its cameras log residents dropping children off at school, visiting doctors, or going out on dates.
Sanders also pointed to newer capabilities. He said Flock’s AI can combine images of a person and their vehicle with databases containing phone numbers, relatives, and court records to determine who someone is and where they are going.
He ended the post by promising to introduce a bill to rein in the technology.
Sanders wrote: "Totalitarianism is when a government or another entity with overwhelming power seeks to know, control and influence everything you do, say and even think. I fear very much that if we don't act aggressively, that is where we’re heading."
Backlash has spread across party lines
Sanders’ pledge adds another prominent voice to a growing bipartisan pushback. Opposition to Flock’s automated license plate readers has already reached Capitol Hill.
Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie said he plans legislation that would withhold federal funding from agencies that deploy the cameras. At the local level, governments from Los Angeles to Monroe County, Indiana, have suspended or canceled contracts over privacy concerns. The report also said activists in dozens of states have vandalized or disabled the devices.
Flock’s response and recent expansion
Atlanta-based Flock was founded in 2017. The company says its cameras do not use facial recognition and that footage is typically retained for 30 days.
CEO Garrett Langley has said critics often soften once they understand the technology mainly photographs vehicles. He also recently apologized for previously calling anti-Flock activists a "terroristic organization."
In an interview with FOX News earlier this week, Langley asked Americans to "compromise" on privacy, suggesting that safety should take priority over concerns about surveillance.
Over the past year, Flock has expanded aggressively, including a nationwide plate-scanning fleet involving Uber drivers and a police tool used to track drivers.
Sanders did not say when he plans to introduce the bill.