# Trump Loves Flock Cameras; Left and Right Voters Revolt

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/trump-loves-flock-cameras-left-and-right-voters-revolt
- Published: 2026-09-16T13:10:07.473582+00:00
- Topics: surveillance, privacy, flock-safety, law-enforcement, 2026-elections

## What the left says
- Flock's license-plate reader network creates a searchable, nationwide location-history database that can track ordinary people's movements to church, doctor visits, and stores without a warrant.
- Immigration enforcement officials have gained access to Flock data despite earlier denials, raising fears the technology is being weaponized against vulnerable communities.
- Police officers have already been caught abusing the database to track former romantic partners, showing the system is vulnerable to misuse with little accountability.
- Flock's sharp increase in donations to mayors', governors', and attorneys general associations looks like an attempt to buy political goodwill while facing public backlash.

## What the right says
- Automated license plate readers amount to warrantless mass surveillance that violates Americans' Fourth Amendment rights and civil liberties.
- The reciprocal search feature lets thousands of agencies nationwide pull data from local camera networks, turning a small town's cameras into part of a national tracking system without local consent or oversight.
- Lawmakers argue the technology should be regulated like Section 702 of FISA, since it creates a backdoor for government agencies to monitor ordinary citizens under the guise of local policing.
- Automated cameras, like speed cameras before them, are seen as revenue-generating tools that punish the middle class rather than genuine public-safety measures.

## Common ground
- Flock cameras have sparked bipartisan backlash from both grassroots activists and elected officials.
- Concerns center on privacy, warrantless tracking, and lack of accountability in how the data is used.
- Multiple political candidates across the spectrum have made opposition to Flock cameras a central campaign issue.
- Reports confirm law enforcement and immigration officials have accessed or misused Flock's camera data.

## Sources
- [AllSides](https://www.allsides.com/news/2026-09-15-0700/technology-trump-endorses-flock-cameras-despite-bipartisan-backlash-i-them) (Center)
- [AllSides](https://www.allsides.com/news/2026-09-15-0700/technology-theyre-watching-montana-senate-candidates-ad-plays-anti-flock-sentiments) (Center)
- [Daily Caller](https://dailycaller.com/2026/09/15/pat-harrigan-flock-safety-cameras-fisa-section-702-congress-surveillance) (Right)
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/montana-senate-candidate-seth-bodnar-shoots-flock-cameras_n_6aa92144e4b03cde7fac822a) (Left)
- [Mother Jones](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/09/shooting-flock-cameras-seth-bodnar-adam-heimerman/) (Left)
- [The Federalist](https://thefederalist.com/2026/09/15/california-cops-are-using-flock-cameras-to-spy-on-a-small-wisconsin-village/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=california-cops-are-using-flock-cameras-to-spy-on-a-small-wisconsin-village) (Right)
- [The Intercept](https://theintercept.com/2026/09/04/flock-camera-surveillance-protest-donations/) (Left)

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