Josh Hawley widens Flock Safety camera probe to three more companies

Key Points:

• Sen. Josh Hawley is expanding his investigation into privacy concerns surrounding AI-backed surveillance cameras, sending letters to Motorola Solutions, Verkada, and Axon Enterprise to address potential misuse and data handling practices.
• Hawley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, emphasizes that Americans should not lose privacy rights due to widespread camera networks tracking vehicle movements without warrants or consent.
• The investigation follows similar actions by states like Florida and Texas, where governors have ordered removal or halted spending on license plate reader cameras amid privacy and data misuse fears.
• Flock Safety, a key target of the probe, operates about 120,000 AI-powered cameras nationwide and has pledged cooperation with Hawley's inquiry, highlighting their use in crime-solving and missing person cases.
• The backlash against these surveillance technologies has united diverse political groups, with Republicans focusing on privacy and government overreach, while far-left activists link the cameras to broader campaigns against AI, policing, and data center construction.