🚨 FLORIDA ORDERS REMOVAL OF HIGHWAY LICENSE PLATE READERS AMID PRIVACY CONCERNS. TALLAHASSEE, UNITED STATES - Florida has ordered the removal of automated license plate readers from state highways, marking a sweeping shift in how the state handles vehicle surveillance technology. The directive, issued by the Florida Department of Transportation, gives agencies 30 days to take down devices such as Flock cameras from state-controlled roads. Any equipment left in place after the deadline will be removed by state crews. The move follows growing concerns about misuse of the technology, including cases where officers allegedly accessed plate reader databases to track individuals for personal reasons. State officials cited rapid expansion of the systems, data privacy risks, and fears of creating a surveillance environment as reasons for the order. The governor recently criticized the widespread deployment of the cameras, saying he supports crime-fighting tools but does not want routine movements of residents logged without clear safeguards. Local agencies may continue using the cameras on city or county roads, but several municipalities have already begun ending contracts or shutting down their networks. Some departments credited the readers with helping locate missing people and solve violent crimes, yet many are now reassessing whether the benefits outweigh the privacy concerns. The order halts all new permits for license plate readers on state roads and revokes existing approvals, effectively clearing the technology from Florida’s highway system.