Sen. Chuck Schumer sounds alarm on Flock cameras, demands greater transparency on use of data
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is demanding transparency from Flock Safety, the company responsible for a network of license plate cameras across the country.
Flock, which says it operates more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states, uses artificial intelligence to identify vehicle information and then provides that data to its customers, which include law enforcement agencies.
The company says it can help police track down suspects, stolen cars and missing people. A CBS News investigation published last week found that the Flock CEO's claim that the cameras helped solve a million crimes in 2025 is not supported by the available evidence.
However, Flock has come under fire recently amid a nationwide uproar over privacy concerns and alleged unauthorized searches in its database. Critics question how the information will be used, who can access it and whether data to track plates could be misused.
"There's a private company putting cameras on street corners across the country, and it doesn't just track your license plate. It logs where you've been in a database police across the country can search, and its software can link your car to your phone number and your family," Schumer said. "Americans have no idea who's looking at that information, or why it has to be collected in the first place. They deserve to know."
Schumer said he sent a letter to Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley asking pointed questions. He called on the company to respond by Oct. 16.
"This company told the public its cameras were encrypted and secure. Then hackers took one of the cameras down and broke into it. They got more than a million pictures off of that one camera," Schumer said. "Most New Yorkers, most Americans want to get to work and get home to their family. So, they should be able to do that without a private company keeping a file on where they go."
CBS News New York has reached out to Flock Safety for comment, but has not yet heard back.
Schumer's actions follow those of Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, who recently introduced legislation to establish guardrails for Flock cameras and other artificial intelligence-powered surveillance technology, CBS News has learned.
His bill, dubbed the Stop Flock Abuse Act, would regulate automated license plate readers by imposing stricter limits on data, security and search functions.
In August, Flock announced tighter controls, including reducing data storage from 30 days to seven. The system is now also flagging abnormal search behavior by police.
"I think hindsight is a brutal tool," Langley told CBS News at the time. "Of course, we could have done more earlier. And we listen, and we learn, and we'll continue to move forward."
