Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies to stop funding Flock Safety’s AI-powered surveillance cameras, dealing another setback to the license-plate-reader company as opposition to its nationwide network keeps building.
Abbott issued the directive on Thursday night, according to the Texas Tribune, which said the governor’s office confirmed the move as the paper prepared to publish an investigation. That report found that a state agency had steered at least $30 million toward expanding Texas’s Flock network through grants to local police departments.
Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, told the Tribune that agencies are clarifying that state funds cannot be used for Flock cameras. He also said that most city funding for the devices comes from the federal government.
Thousands of cameras were installed across Texas
According to the Tribune, the state’s Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority has helped install at least 3,200 Flock cameras since 2023. The Texas Department of Public Safety added nearly 1,200 more under a $15.9 million contract.
The Tribune said much of that money traced back to a 2023 law that added $1 to auto insurance policies to fight catalytic converter theft. Lawmakers told the paper that the funds were never discussed as a source for surveillance cameras.
Privacy concerns and misuse allegations gained traction
In a radio interview, Abbott described the situation as a “crackdown,” the Tribune reported, as cities moved to cancel contracts over privacy concerns and reports of misuse.
He cited a Lufkin officer facing 100 counts of misusing public information for allegedly surveilling 11 people. Abbott also said that at least six Texas departments have placed officers on leave or opened investigations in the past month.
Flock cameras use AI to log vehicle details such as make, model, color, and bumper stickers. The devices can also be networked, letting agencies across the country share access and creating a broad surveillance system that critics say operates with little oversight.
Bipartisan opposition has spread beyond Texas
That reach has made Flock a political flashpoint. Opposition has grown into a bipartisan revolt, with the dispute reaching Capitol Hill, where lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about the scale of Flock’s network and how much data each camera collects.
Pressure has increased in recent weeks. Senator Bernie Sanders said he plans to introduce federal legislation to stop what he called AI mass surveillance, warning that the technology is pushing the United States toward a surveillance state.
Over the past year, Flock had expanded aggressively across the country, the report said. That expansion included a police tool that allows officers to track individual drivers, along with a planned nationwide plate-scanning fleet that would have enlisted Uber drivers to collect data while on the move.
Flock continues to defend the product
Even as scrutiny rises, Flock has defended its technology as a public-safety tool. The company told the Tribune that it supports thoughtful legislation with privacy guardrails.
Last week, Flock CEO Garrett Langley said in an interview with Fox News that Americans should “compromise” on privacy. He added that people who frame the issue as a choice between privacy and safety are “prioritizing the wrong thing.”
With cancellations spreading, criminal charges mounting against officers accused of abusing the system, and politicians from both parties lining up against the company, Flock is facing a broader crisis of public trust. Abbott’s order to freeze state funding adds to that pressure.