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| -Land of the Free |
| Texas Gov. Greg Abbott moves to cut state funding for AI-powered Flock cameras amid privacy concerns |
| 2026-08-29 |
| [FoxNews] The move comes as cities cancel contracts with the automated license plate reader company amid privacy concerns Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to pause funding Thursday for AI-powered Flock cameras, which have come under scrutiny nationwide amid privacy concerns. Abbott's office told Fox News Digital that the state was moving to cut off state-agency funding for the cameras, while noting that most funding for them comes from the federal government. "Almost all Flock cameras in Texas are used by cities, and those cities are increasingly canceling their contracts with Flock," Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said in a statement. "To the extent that cities get any funding for those cameras, most of it comes from the federal government," Mahaleris continued. "To the extent any funding comes from Texas agencies, those agencies are clarifying that those funds cannot be used for Flock cameras." Flock Safety is one of the most widely used providers of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) in Texas. The cameras photograph passing vehicles and record identifying information. Using artificial intelligence, the cameras can detect vehicle characteristics such as make, model and color, as well as features including bumper stickers or dents. Using the information collected, law enforcement agencies can search records across participating camera networks. Supporters of the technology argue the cameras can help authorities quickly locate criminal suspects, stolen vehicles or vehicles connected to crimes. Opponents have raised concerns about privacy and data sharing, as well as the potential misuse of information collected by the cameras. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2026-08-29 12:16 |