Texas governor halts funding for Flock surveillance cameras after investigation

Governor Greg Abbott froze state spending on Flock surveillance cameras days before a Texas Tribune investigation revealed that the state had already poured more than 30 million dollars into the rollout. The money came from a $1 levy on each insurance policy, which was presented to the public as a tool to combat theft of catalytic converters—a goal far removed from broad license-plate tracking.

The Flock cameras have become a rare target of bipartisan anger. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, privacy activists and social-media users have united around calls to dismantle them. Republican representative Keith Self wrote on Instagram, “From Flock cameras to shutdown switches, we will not surrender Fourth Amendment rights for a growing surveillance state,” while Democratic lieutenant-governor candidate Gina Hinojosa criticized Abbott for expanding the system’s use.

The investigation and accompanying reports point to at least six cases in Texas alone where officers were placed on leave or faced criminal charges after allegedly misusing Flock’s databases. The company also drew criticism for sharing data with outside parties, installing cameras near playgrounds, granting employees live-feed access, providing unsecured video streams and making clumsy attempts to evade transparency obligations.

In recent months, cities across the United States, many in Texas, have terminated contracts with Flock. At the same time, sabotaging the cameras has turned into a viral hobby encouraged online. Abbott’s funding freeze does not affect cameras already installed, but it signals that even in a deep-red state, mass surveillance without effective oversight will no longer pass unchallenged.