Lawmakers Push Ban on Flock Cameras Amid Privacy Concerns

• •The Ban Flock Act aims to prohibit federal use of ALPRs and block funding for state/local use.
• •Law enforcement misuse of Flock cameras has led to multiple investigations and charges.
• •Legislation is a response to growing concerns over privacy and civil liberties violations.

On October 5, 2026, a group of federal lawmakers introduced the Ban Flock Act, aimed at prohibiting federal agencies from using automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) and blocking federal funding to state and local governments that utilize these cameras. The legislation, led by Senators Bernie Sanders and Jeff Merkley, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, responds to widespread abuses of Flock's technology, including its use in tracking individuals without consent and sharing data with federal immigration officials. Recent incidents involving law enforcement officers misusing Flock cameras for personal surveillance have intensified scrutiny on the technology. In Wisconsin, a detective was charged for unauthorized searches using Flock, while a Massachusetts officer faces allegations of stalking an ex-partner using the same system. The introduction of the Ban Flock Act follows public backlash against the invasive nature of surveillance technologies and aims to protect civil liberties.