Senator Josh Hawley Expands Investigation into AI Surveillance Companies

<p>Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is expanding his investigation into alleged privacy violations related to AI-backed surveillance cameras, adding three companies to his scrutiny: Motorola Solutions Inc., Verkada Inc., and Axon Enterprise Inc. This follows concerns regarding the handling of images and data generated by such cameras.</p><p>On Wednesday, Hawley sent letters to the three companies, stating, "On August 26th, I wrote to your competitor Flock Safety to express my concerns regarding the size and pervasiveness of its network and demanding answers as to reports of abuse and costly errors from its technology. However, Flock does not stand alone in this industry; you and others are building large camera networks, assisted by artificial intelligence, that intrude on the privacy of all Americans."</p><p>Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, has expressed concerns that Flock Safety cameras undermine personal privacy through an AI-powered system that tracks the movements of individuals. He stated, "Americans do not surrender their privacy rights when they drive to work, drop their kids off at school or go to church. I’m investigating Flock cameras to determine WHO has access to hundreds of millions of Americans’ data - and what they’re doing with it."</p><p>Hawley has requested that each company explain how broadly customers can search vehicle data, the duration for which license plate information is retained, the number of confirmed misuse cases since 2021, and the safeguards in place to ensure law enforcement provides legitimate justifications before conducting searches. An Axon spokesperson confirmed receipt of the letter and expressed willingness to discuss the requests.</p><p>Several politicians have taken action against AI-powered cameras. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered the removal of all license plate reader cameras from state roads, while Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state agencies to cease spending on Flock Safety cameras.</p><p>Flock Safety cameras utilize artificial intelligence to automatically track and identify vehicles and license plates for local law enforcement. There is growing concern nationwide regarding whether such systems should be permitted to track vehicle movements without a warrant or driver consent. Approximately 120,000 Flock Safety cameras are operational across the United States, excluding Alaska.</p><p>Last week, Hawley also sent a letter to Flock Safety requesting similar information from the company. A spokesperson for Flock Safety indicated that the company would comply with the investigation and looks forward to providing additional context about its technology and safeguards.</p><p>The backlash against Flock cameras has seen a convergence of interests, with both Republican lawmakers and far-left activists targeting the same issue from different ideological perspectives. While GOP lawmakers focus on privacy and government overreach, some activists are integrating the cameras into broader campaigns against artificial intelligence and policing.</p><p>In May, the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s Denver chapter collaborated with other groups to promote a forum discussing the connections between mass surveillance and data centers.</p><p>A report commissioned by Consumer Action for a Strong Economy noted that the convergence of money, media, organizing capacity, and campaign objectives is significant in the context of these issues.</p>