PETITION TO THE FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATURE:
 
Codify a Complete Statewide Ban on Automated Mass Surveillance and Local Flock Camera Networks
 
To the Honorable Members of the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives:
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED CITIZENS AND RESIDENS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, respect public safety but firmly value our constitutional right to privacy and freedom from warrantless government tracking.
On August 31, 2026, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), backed by Governor Ron DeSantis, took a decisive and commendable step toward protecting our sovereignty by revoking all permits for automated license plate readers (ALPRs), including Flock Safety cameras, on the State Highway System. State leadership correctly warned that this technology has grown "out of control" and poses a severe threat of creating a permanent, centralized surveillance state targeting innocent, law-abiding citizens.
However, the FDOT executive order only applies to state highway rights-of-way. It leaves a massive, dangerous loophole allowing local municipalities, county governments, and private entities to maintain invasive grid networks on city streets, county roads, and residential neighborhoods.
Recent data breaches and criminal abuses within Florida—including a high-profile case in Polk County where a law enforcement officer allegedly used the Flock database to stalk an estranged wife—prove that internal audits are insufficient to prevent the weaponization of this data. The tracking of a vehicle’s unique "fingerprint" (including decals, roof racks, and bumper stickers) without a warrant constitutes an unreasonable search under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 12 of the Florida Constitution.
 
THEREFORE, WE CITIZENS DEMAND THAT THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE IMMEDIATELY PASS LEGISLATION TO:
Expand the State Highway Ban Statewide: Codify the FDOT memorandum into permanent state statute, expanding the prohibition of ALPR and Flock camera systems to all public county- and city-maintained roadways across Florida.
Ban Local Government and Police Contracts: Prohibit local law enforcement agencies and municipalities from utilizing taxpayer funds to enter into or renew contracts with private surveillance corporations like Flock Safety for mass vehicle tracking.
Mandate Immediate Data Deletion: Require all private vendors and law enforcement agencies currently operating local systems to permanently purge all existing license plate data, location histories, and vehicle images collected from non-suspect drivers within 30 days.
Regulate Private & HOA Surveillance: Create strict regulatory barriers and explicit opt-out requirements for private communities and Homeowners Associations (HOAs) using mass tracking technology at neighborhood gateways, ensuring residents cannot be logged without prior written consent.
Establish Criminal Penalties for Misuse: Enact strict criminal penalties for any public official, contractor, or officer who accesses vehicle tracking data for personal, non-official, or unauthorized tracking.
Governor DeSantis and the FDOT have initiated the removal of these cameras from state highways. Now, the Florida Legislature must finish the job. We urge our lawmakers to prioritize the protection of citizens' civil liberties over the profits of private surveillance companies.