Pensacola, Florida-area resident Jacob Rockwell joins ‘The Sunday Briefing’ to debate his considerations over red-light digicam surveillance and raises questions on who’s chargeable for digicam tickets after disputing his personal out-of-state quotation.
Florida drivers might quickly see fewer high-tech eyes monitoring their freeway commutes after state officers ordered native police to strip automated license plate readers from state roads, dealing a blow to personal surveillance distributors like Flock Safety whereas drawing a tough boundary towards what Gov. Ron DeSantis warns is an increasing “digital AI surveillance state.”
“If you want to get in your car and you want to go down to Buc-ee’s in St. Augustine, it’s really none of the government’s damn business if you’re doing that, right? What we don’t want in the state of Florida is to have a digital AI surveillance state where everything we’re doing is being tracked at all times,” DeSantis stated at a Monday information convention.
“There’s obviously times when I think it’s probably been useful, but where is this data going?” the governor continued. “They claim that the companies aren’t going to misuse it, but no one’s watching that. And I know you can make some money selling cameras, but you really can make a lot of money if you can sell people’s data.”
DeSantis’ feedback come because the Florida Department of Transportation introduced in a one-page memo Monday that it was revoking present permits for automated license plate readers inside state freeway rights-of-way and giving legislation enforcement companies 30 days to take away present units.
FDOT stated the motion was prompted by the speedy enlargement of automated license plate readers, together with stories of misuse, knowledge privacy considerations and surveillance schemes. The license plate readers report car sightings, feed searchable databases and, when companies select to share knowledge, can join searches throughout jurisdictional traces.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a press convention at Florida International University in Miami on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (Getty Images)
Automated license plate readers (ALPRs), which are sometimes small, solar-powered cameras mounted on poles, buildings or police automobiles, can seize car license plates and places as drivers move by. Flock Safety, one of many main ALPR distributors, has quickly expanded its enterprise with legislation enforcement, municipalities and companies lately.
The ACLU says about 120,000 Flock cameras are at present put in nationwide.
“I guarantee you every sheriff in Florida can point to examples where it’s been used appropriately and probably effectively. And I have no doubt that that’s the case. But you also have to say, okay, how could this be misused?” DeSantis stated.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., joins ‘Varney & Co.’ to debate the gubernatorial race, his place on knowledge facilities and Florida’s ban on flock cameras.
“We know there was an officer in Florida who was using the LPR data to track, like, an ex-girlfriend or something like that. I don’t think we have really strong penalties at all for that type of misuse,” he added. “So I’ve called for legislation that will protect Floridians from allowing the state to turn it into some type of digital prison, digital surveillance state where somebody knows everything about what you’re doing every day of the week.”
In an announcement to Fox News Digital, a Flock spokesperson stated, “Flock’s technology is an important public safety tool for law enforcement agencies across Florida, helping officers solve serious crimes, find missing people, recover stolen vehicles and support safer communities. In just the last few weeks in Florida, the technology was used to find missing children, led to the arrest of a murder suspect and assisted in solving numerous other crimes.”
“Rather than banning a critical public safety tool,” the spokesperson continued, “we support thoughtful legislation and strong privacy, transparency and accountability guardrails that ensure technology is used responsibly while preserving law enforcement’s ability to use effective tools to keep people safe.”
Knox County commissioners Larsen Jay and Andy Fox focus on privacy considerations over flock cameras of their space on ‘The Bottom Line.’
DeSantis’ workplace didn’t instantly reply to Fox News Digital’s request for remark.
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Florida’s directive mirrors broader pushback throughout the nation. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lately halted state funding for Flock cameras, whereas municipalities throughout the U.S. have ended or declined to resume contracts with the corporate.
Public resistance has additionally escalated into proposed class-action lawsuits and stories of digicam vandalism in dozens of states throughout the U.S.
Fox News’ Kerri Kupec Urbahn contributed to this report.