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Florida revokes Flock camera permits [1]

['Rob Beschizza']

Date: 2026-09-01  

Florida's Department of Transportation has revoked permits for Flock surveillance cameras installed on state roads, effectively ordering local law enforcement to remove those in their jurisdictions within 30 days. In a memo sent to agencies statewide, FDOT cited widespread reports of abuse and said it will no longer approve new requests.

The privacy and surveillance problems enabled by the plate-reading cameras "merit immediate action to preserve Floridians' sovereignty and quality of life," wrote Will Watts, the department's Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Secretary. Flock's cameras make it easy for police to stalk their exes, hunt down women seeking abortions and racially profile motorists, with a near-daily stream of new abuses surfacing in the news.

Local agencies like the extraordinary ability to track people's movements enabled by Flock's license-plate reading cameras, though, and quotes from local agencies suggests their compliance may be an issue. FDOT says it will remove any remaining devices itself after the deadline and reserved the right to "immediately remove any individual device that poses a safety concern."

This move comes after widespread criticism of the program from all corners of the country. In the Tampa Bay area, at least two police officers, one in Haines City and another in Sarasota, have been fired and arrested for allegedly misusing the cameras to stalk romantic interests. Some agencies have already removed their cameras based on backlash from the community. Like in Pasco County, where Sheriff Chris Nocco, who is running for Florida Senate, said in a statement, "The value of the technology does not override the importance of public trust." The plan was to switch from Flock to another provider, but he's decided his department is done with this surveillance, for now.

A growing number of communities are withdrawing from contracts with Flock and other surveillance startups. Flock's CEO, Garrett Langley, described critics of the surveillance cameras as "terrorists" and said Americans should compromise on privacy. Many Americans, though, have other plans.

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2026/09/01/florida-revokes-flock-camera-permits.html

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