U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders said he will introduce a bill targeting Flock Safety to limit the expansion of this surveillance technology company, stating that mass AI tracking is pushing the United States toward a "surveillance state."
Sanders points out that Flock expanded too quickly.
This week, Sanders posted on X that Flock has deployed over 1.2 million AI cameras across the U.S., covering more than 6,000 communities and scanning approximately 20 billion vehicles per month. He believes such systems are continuously recording residents' daily movements, including dropping off children at school, seeking medical care, and private activities.
According to Sanders, Flock’s new system can not only identify vehicles but may also link images of people and vehicles to databases containing phone numbers, family relationships, and court records to determine individuals’ identities and movements.
Opposition has spread across both parties.
He did not specify the exact timing for submitting the bill, but has clearly indicated that he will push for federal-level restrictions. Recent controversy surrounding Flock’s automatic license plate recognition system has expanded from local to congressional levels.
U.S. Representative Thomas Massie previously stated his intention to introduce legislation to cut off federal funding to agencies deploying such cameras. Meanwhile, local governments from Los Angeles to Monroe County, Indiana, have paused or canceled contracts with Flock due to privacy concerns.
The company claims it does not perform facial recognition.
The Atlanta-based company was founded in 2017. Flock says its cameras do not use facial recognition, and footage is typically retained for only 30 days. Company CEO Garrett Langley said that public attitudes often soften once people understand that the product primarily captures vehicles.
However, Langley told FOX News earlier this week that Americans should make “compromises” on privacy and prioritize security, further fueling skepticism about his surveillance approach.
Over the past year, Flock has expanded its operations, including launching a nationwide license plate scanning network involving Uber drivers and introducing tools for law enforcement to track drivers.