Texas Governor Abbott blocks funding for more Flock cameras

<figure> <img alt="Illustration of hands holding instruments to destroy a Flock camera" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/268713_Americans_seem_to_agree_that_destroy_Flock_cameras_is_good_CVirginia.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As backlash grows over Flock's AI surveillance cameras, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/28/texas-greg-abbott-flock-cameras-order-state-money/">frozen state spending</a> on them. The move came just ahead of the publication of a <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/28/texas-flock-cameras-auto-insurance-fee-mvcpa-grants/"><em>Texas Tribune</em> investigation</a> that revealed the state spent over $30 million on Flock cameras. That money was primarily raised by tacking a $1 fee onto insurance policies, allegedly to help fight catalytic converter theft.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Flock cameras have increasingly drawn ire from <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/29/flock-cameras-stir-bipartisan-fury-gov-greg-abbott-blocks-them-texas/">across the political spectrum</a> as they've become the subject of privacy concerns. There have been multiple incidents of officers being placed on leave or <a href="https://www.404media.co/cops-keep-getting-arrested-for-using-flock-to-stalk-people/">criminally charged</a> for misusing Flock systems, including at …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/986541/texas-governor-abbott-flock-cameras">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>