Full Breakdown
Ban Flock Act Targets Federal Use of License-Plate Surveillance
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On October 2, 2026 Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) together with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced the Ban Flock Act. The bill would prohibit all federal agencies from deploying or accessing data from automated license-plate readers (ALPRs), condition federal grant eligibility on state and local governments’ refusal to use ALPR technology, and grant individuals a private right of action to sue the federal government for violations of their rights arising from federal ALPR use.
Background & Context
ALPR systems capture a vehicle’s license plate, time, location, and additional visual characteristics—make, model, color, bumper stickers, and other accessories—to create a “vehicle signature.” Flock Safety, the company most frequently cited, claims a nationwide network of roughly 120,000 cameras operating in 49 states. Recent reporting has highlighted law-enforcement misuse of such data, including unauthorized tracking of private individuals. In response, Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Chairman Josh Hawley (R-MO) held a hearing to examine AI-powered surveillance cameras, inviting CEOs of Flock Safety, Axon Enterprise, Motorola Solutions, and Verkada, none of whom appeared.
Parallel legislative efforts include Rep. Thomas Massie’s Flock-Off Act, which bars federal funds from purchasing, installing, maintaining, or upgrading ALPRs and biometric surveillance cameras, and requires systems receiving federal money to shut down within 180 days. Sen. Josh Hawley’s Stop Flock Abuse Act focuses on data-handling safeguards rather than outright funding restrictions.
Data & Statistics
- Camera network: Flock Safety reports more than 120,000 ALPR cameras nationwide.
- Vehicle scans: The company asserts over 20 billion scans per month.
These figures are self-reported and have not been independently audited.
Official Statements & Responses
Representative Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the need to protect Americans from “mass surveillance” and to enforce the constitutional right to privacy. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern about the technology’s reach, with Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) introducing a separate bill that would prohibit federal agencies from purchasing ALPRs while permitting locally funded programs.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The primary quantitative claims about Flock Safety’s network stem from the company itself; no external audit confirms the 120,000-camera count or the 20 billion-scan volume. Additionally, the Ban Flock Act does not specify how many state or local jurisdictions currently rely on federal grants that would be jeopardized, leaving the potential fiscal impact unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Going to the doctor? Flock knows. Dropping your kid off at school? Flock is tracking you. Flock is always watching. We cannot allow America to become a surveillance state where a handful of AI oligarchs profit by giving the government the power to track our every movement,” — Sens. Bernie Sanders, act with senator
- “Big Tech companies like Flock Safety have built a mass surveillance system to harvest Americans’ private and personal data without their consent,” — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- “At a time of growing concern about the unchecked power of artificial intelligence, Flock is eviscerating the very notion of privacy by installing tens of thousands of cameras in communities across America without their consent,” — Sens. Bernie Sanders, act with senator