Pensacola, Florida, area resident Jacob Rockwell joins ‘The Sunday Briefing’ to discuss his concerns about red light camera surveillance and raise questions about who is responsible for camera tickets after disputing his own out-of-state citation. Florida drivers may soon see fewer high-tech eyes monitoring their road trips after state officials ordered local police to remove automated license plate readers from state roads, dealing a blow to private surveillance providers like Flock Safety while also drawing a hard line against what Gov. Ron DeSantis warns is an expanding “AI digital surveillance state.” “If you want to get in your car and you want to go to Buc-ee’s in St. Augustine, it’s not really the government’s business if you do that, right? What we don’t want in the state of Florida is to have an AI digital surveillance state where everything we do is tracked at all times,” DeSantis said at a press conference Monday. “Obviously there are times where I think it’s probably been useful, but where does this data go?” the governor continued. “They claim that companies are not going to misuse it, but no one realizes that. And I know you can make some money selling cameras, but you can really make a lot of money if you can sell people’s data.” DeSantis’ comments come as the Florida Department of Transportation announced Monday in a one-page memo that it would revoke existing permits for automated license plate readers within state highway rights-of-way and give law enforcement agencies 30 days to remove existing devices. FLORIDA CHAMBER CEO: BUSINESSES LOOKING AT SUNSHINE STATE ‘ACROSS THE COUNTRY’ AFTER VIRAL MAMDANI BILLBOARDFDOT said the action was prompted by the rapid expansion of automated license plate readers, along with reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes. License plate readers record vehicle sightings, feed searchable databases, and, when agencies decide to share data, can connect searches across jurisdictional lines. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis holds a news conference at Florida International University in Miami on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. (Getty Images) Automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), which are often small solar-powered cameras mounted on poles, buildings or police cars, can capture vehicle license plates and their locations as drivers pass by. Flock Safety, one of ALPR’s leading suppliers, has rapidly expanded its business with law enforcement, municipalities and businesses in recent years. The ACLU says there are currently about 120,000 Flock cameras installed nationwide. “I guarantee you that every sheriff in Florida can point to examples where it’s been used appropriately and probably effectively. And I have no doubt that’s the case. But you also have to say, well, how could it be misused?” DeSantis said. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., joins ‘Varney & Co.’ to discuss the gubernatorial race, his position on data centers and Florida’s ban on crowd cameras. “We know there was an officer in Florida who was using LPR data to track down an ex-girlfriend or something. I don’t think we have really strong penalties for that kind of misuse,” he added. “That’s why I’ve called for legislation that protects Floridians from allowing the state to turn it into some kind of digital prison, digital surveillance state where someone knows everything about what you’re doing every day of the week.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Flock spokesperson said: “Flock’s technology is an important public safety tool for law enforcement agencies across Florida, helping officers solve serious crimes, find missing people, recover stolen vehicles and support safer communities. In just the last few weeks in Florida, the technology has been used to find missing children, led to the arrest of a murder suspect and helped solve numerous other crimes.” “Rather than banning a critical public safety tool,” the spokesperson continued, “we support thoughtful legislation and strong privacy, transparency and accountability barriers that ensure technology is used responsibly while preserving law enforcement’s ability to use effective tools to keep people safe.” Knox County Commissioners Larsen Jay and Andy Fox discuss privacy concerns about flock cameras in their area on ‘The Bottom Line.’ DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently halted state funding for Flock cameras, while municipalities across the United States have ended or refused to renew contracts with the company. Public resistance has also escalated into proposed class-action lawsuits and reports of camera vandalism in dozens of states across the United States. READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS Fox News’ Kerri Kupec Urbahn contributed to this report.
