What We Know: Missouri Senator Josh Hawley is launching an investigation into the growing use of artificial intelligence-powered Flock Safety cameras across the country.
Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, is demanding answers from Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley about how the company collects, stores, and shares information gathered by its cameras.
What It Means: Hawley says Flock has built what he calls an “unprecedented national surveillance network” in just a few years.
According to Hawley, more than 120,000 cameras are operating across 49 states, scanning billions of vehicles every month.
The cameras can capture license plate information and other vehicle data that law enforcement agencies can use during investigations.
Hawley says he supports giving police the tools they need to catch criminals.
The Missouri senator argues Americans shouldn’t have to give up their privacy simply because they’re driving to work, taking their kids to school or heading to church.
Hawley is especially concerned about information from cameras around the country being pooled into a searchable database.
He says most people whose vehicles are captured by those cameras haven’t done anything wrong.
Now he wants to know exactly who can access that information, how long it’s kept, and what safeguards are in place to prevent misuse.
Hawley has given Flock Safety until Sept. 8 to turn over documents and answer questions about access to the data.
What’s Next: The investigation comes as communities around the country continue debating the balance between using new technology to help solve crimes and protecting the privacy of everyday drivers.
(Photo courtesy of Josh Hawley, US Senate)