There’s this new bill called the Flock-Off Act that’s been introduced by Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie. It’s basically trying to restrict the use of federal funding for these Flock Safety cameras, which are automated license plate readers and biometric surveillance cameras. The idea is that the federal government shouldn’t be providing funds to cities and police departments that are using these cameras to surveil law-abiding citizens.
The bill is pretty specific about what it’s trying to achieve – it would prohibit the use of federal funds to purchase, install, maintain, or upgrade these camera systems. It also defines what biometric data is, including things like facial recognition and fingerprints. If the bill passes, federal agencies would have to remove any federally-funded systems, and state and local recipients would have to disable them within 180 days to keep getting federal funding. There are some exceptions, though – like if the cameras are being used to detect human trafficking or drug smuggling near the borders.
Rep. Massie is pretty passionate about this issue, and he’s been speaking out about the lack of guardrails on these camera systems. He’s even mentioned that some people with access to the feeds have been using them to stalk or track people they’re dating, which is just creepy. The bill has some bipartisan support, with one Democrat, Rep. Ro Khanna, co-sponsoring it. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out, but for now, it’s definitely a step in the direction of protecting people’s privacy and limiting the surveillance state.