Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie (R‑KY) is preparing legislation that would cut off federal funding to any local police department that uses Flock Safety or similar mass‑surveillance systems to track Americans.
Massie announced on X that he will file the bill soon. No text has been released yet, but Massie has been one of the most vocal critics of automated license‑plate surveillance and AI‑driven tracking tools.
Texas Congressman Keith Self (R‑TX) is separately pushing the PRIVACY Act, which would require federal law‑enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before accessing data from AI‑based license‑plate readers or other automated surveillance platforms. The bill would also broadly prohibit federal agencies from purchasing or installing these systems.
Self says the technology could still be used in limited circumstances, such as stolen‑vehicle cases or Amber Alerts – but only when probable cause exists and a judge has issued a warrant.
Massie, Self, and other lawmakers warn that AI‑driven mass surveillance poses a direct threat to constitutional rights. They argue that Americans should not surrender civil liberties in exchange for tools that may have legitimate uses but are also ripe for government abuse.
More legislation is expected at both the congressional and state levels as elected officials respond to the growing backlash against Flock‑type surveillance technology.
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