U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced legislation aimed at barring federal agencies from utilizing automatic license plate reader systems, including those deployed by major vendor Flock. The proposed bill would also penalize state and local governments financially if they fail to restrict such surveillance technologies, capping data retention at 48 hours for any approved exceptions.
This legislative push arrives amid growing public backlash over privacy concerns surrounding massive plate-scanning networks that process billions of vehicle reads monthly. Although Flock has recently implemented stricter internal rules and default data retention reductions, mounting community protests and high-profile abuse cases continue to fuel political scrutiny.
- Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Ban Flock Act.
- Prohibits federal agencies from using automated license plate readers (ALPRs).
- Imposes financial penalties and grant losses on non-compliant local governments.
- Addresses escalating privacy concerns over large-scale vehicle tracking networks.
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