Texas Freezes $30 Million AI Camera Programme Amid Growing Bipartisan Privacy Backlash
Governor Greg Abbott has halted state spending on Flock Safety cameras after a newspaper investigation revealed Texas quietly spent more than $30 million on the AI surveillance network, funded by a $1 fee added to insurance policies.
Key points
- Texas Governor Greg Abbott froze all state spending on Flock Safety AI surveillance cameras in August 2026.
- A Texas Tribune investigation found Texas spent more than $30 million on Flock cameras, funded largely by a $1 surcharge added to insurance policies.
- At least six Texas police officers have been placed on leave or criminally charged for misusing Flock systems.
- Cities across the country are cancelling Flock contracts, and politicians from both major parties have voiced opposition.
- Flock Safety has also faced criticism over data sharing, unsecured video feeds, and cameras sited near playgrounds.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott froze state spending on Flock Safety cameras at the end of August 2026, just before a bombshell investigation landed. The Texas Tribune revealed the state had quietly spent more than $30 million on the AI-powered licence-plate-reading cameras, which scan passing vehicles and flag matches against law-enforcement watchlists. Most of that money came from a $1 fee tacked onto every insurance policy sold in Texas, sold to the public as a way to fight catalytic converter theft.
What exactly is a Flock Safety camera?
Flock Safety makes cameras that automatically read licence plates and use AI software to alert police when a flagged vehicle drives past. Think of them as always-on electronic checkpoints. The company has installed thousands of units in cities across the United States, often in public spaces like streets, car parks, and, controversially, near playgrounds.
The system is not just a simple camera. It stores footage, shares data with other law-enforcement agencies, and Flock's own employees can access video feeds, a detail that has alarmed privacy advocates.
Why are both Republicans and Democrats upset?
Both sides see a threat, just from slightly different angles. At least six Texas officers alone have been placed on leave or faced criminal charges for misusing Flock data, giving conservatives a concrete example of government overreach. Republican Representative Keith Self posted on Instagram: "From Flock cameras to kill switches, we will NOT surrender our Fourth Amendment rights to the growing surveillance state."
From the left, Abbott's Democratic challenger for governor, Gina Hinojosa, has criticised him for expanding the programme in the first place. Criticism of Flock has become one of the few things Americans across the political divide seem to agree on right now.
| Concern | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost to taxpayers | Over $30 million spent in Texas alone |
| Officers sanctioned | At least 6 in Texas for misuse |
| Funding method | $1 fee added to insurance policies |
| Camera placements | Some located near playgrounds |
| Data access | Flock employees can view footage |
Beyond the officer misconduct cases, Flock has drawn fire for unsecured video feeds that were accessible without proper authorisation, and for what critics describe as clumsy attempts to dodge public-records requests and transparency laws. The company has not commented directly on the freeze.
Cities across the country began cancelling Flock contracts in the months before Abbott's decision, and the Texas freeze may accelerate that trend. If you live somewhere with Flock cameras, your licence plate has almost certainly been logged. Check whether your city or county has a contract in place and what its data-retention policy states.
What happens next?
Abbott's freeze stops new state money flowing to Flock but does not cancel existing local contracts. Pressure from The Verge AI's reporting and state-level investigations may push more municipalities to review their deals. The bigger question is whether federal privacy legislation, long stalled in Congress, finally gets traction now that opposition spans party lines.
