INKSTER (WWJ) -- Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib is the latest Michigan lawmaker to push back against Flock cameras.
Tlaib has introduced legislation called the "Get The Flock Out of Our Communities Act," which would prohibit any federal funds from being used for automated mass surveillance systems.
It would also require state and local governments to divest from such systems to remain eligible for certain federal law enforcement grants.
Tlaib (MI-12) made the announcement on Wednesday while standing next to protesters who were covering up a Flock camera in Inkster, on the border of Westland.
Inkster expanded their contract with Flock, while Westland has cancelled theirs.
"Instead of investing in real community safety, our local governments are spending millions on AI-equipped technology that misidentifies our residents," Tlaib said. "We are saying no more!"
Tlaib's bill would also make state and local government's eligibility for certain federal grants contingent upon divesting from Flock and other similar organizations.
Flock cameras are AI-powered license plate readers used by law enforcement and private neighborhoods to automatically capture, analyze, and alert authorities to passing vehicles' license plates and physical characteristics in real time. Critics argue this creates a warrantless mass-surveillance network that tracks everyday movements and risks infringing on privacy.
Tlaib argues the money used for Flock should go toward affordable homes, clean water and reliable electricity.
“The mass surveillance crisis is not a dystopian fantasy — it is already here. Our children and neighbors cannot go to the park, drive down the street, go to work, or exercise their Constitutional rights without their privacy being breached,” said Rep. Tlaib, in a news release. “Flock’s technology isn’t making us safer. Instead it has been used to stalk people, mis-identify and arrest innocent people, surveil protestors, and wrongfully record our neighbors. My bill would prevent our government on all levels from selling us out to Big Tech companies that trample our civil rights for profit.”
Over 200 other Michigan cities and counties have cancelled their Flock contracts due to resident outrage, Tlaib's office said. According to Data for Progress, a majority of voters — 52% — view Flock unfavorably, a sentiment that continues to grow as Flock and its abuses become more widespread.
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