Florida bans Flock Safety cameras from state roads over privacy fears
Pensacola, Florida-area resident Jacob Rockwell joins ‘The Sunday Briefing’ to discuss his concerns over red-light camera surveillance and raises questions about who is liable for camera tickets after disputing his own out-of-state citation.
Florida drivers may soon see fewer high-tech eyes monitoring their highway commutes after state officials ordered local police to strip automated license plate readers from state roads, dealing a blow to private surveillance vendors like Flock Safety while drawing a hard boundary against what Gov. Ron DeSantis warns is an expanding “digital AI surveillance state.”
“If you want to get in your car and you want to go down to Buc-ee’s in St. Augustine, it’s really none of the government’s damn business if you’re doing that, right? What we don’t want in the state of Florida is to have a digital AI surveillance state where everything we’re doing is being tracked at all times,” DeSantis said at a Monday news conference.
“There’s obviously times when I think it’s probably been useful, but where is this data going?” the governor continued. “They claim that the companies aren’t going to misuse it, but no one’s watching that. And I know you can make some money selling cameras, but you really can make a lot of money if you can sell people’s data.”
DeSantis’ comments come as the Florida Department of Transportation announced in a one-page memo Monday that it was revoking existing permits for automated license plate readers within state highway rights-of-way and giving law enforcement agencies 30 days to remove existing devices.
FDOT said the action was prompted by the rapid expansion of automated license plate readers, along with reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes. The license plate readers record vehicle sightings, feed searchable databases and, when agencies choose to share data, can connect searches across jurisdictional lines.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a press conference at Florida International University in Miami on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (Getty Images)
Automated license plate readers (ALPRs), which are often small, solar-powered cameras mounted on poles, buildings or police cars, can capture vehicle license plates and locations as drivers pass by. Flock Safety, one of the leading ALPR vendors, has rapidly expanded its business with law enforcement, municipalities and businesses in recent years.
The ACLU says about 120,000 Flock cameras are currently installed nationwide.
“I guarantee you every sheriff in Florida can point to examples where it’s been used appropriately and probably effectively. And I have no doubt that that’s the case. But you also have to say, okay, how could this be misused?” DeSantis said.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., joins ‘Varney & Co.’ to discuss the gubernatorial race, his position on data centers and Florida’s ban on flock…
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