Senators are calling CEOs from four tech companies, including Flock Safety’s Garrett Langley, to testify about privacy concerns related to AI-powered surveillance cameras on September 23. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism is investigating how these cameras track Americans' movements and who has access to the data collected. With around 120,000 Flock Safety cameras operational across all U.S. states except Alaska, lawmakers are concerned about potential privacy violations without proper oversight or consent.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), are calling for a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing on September 23 to address concerns over AI-powered surveillance cameras tracking Americans' movements. The CEOs of four companies, including Flock Safety's Garrett Langley, Axon Enterprise Inc.'s Rick Smith, Motorola Solutions' Greg Brown, and Verkada's Filip Kaliszan, have been invited to testify before the committee. Lawmakers are investigating alleged privacy violations regarding image and data handling by these AI-backed surveillance cameras, with Hawley stating that "Americans do not surrender their privacy rights" when engaging in everyday activities like commuting or attending religious services. Socialist and communist organizers have integrated these camera concerns into broader campaigns against artificial intelligence, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, and what they term an emerging "police state."
Written for “AI Camera Privacy Concerns” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
The CEOs of four companies, including Flock Safety, are being called to testify before a Senate panel next week as lawmakers look to crack down on AI-powered surveillance camera tracking Americans’ movements, Fox News Digital has learned.
asserted
Digital → include → movements
A number of lawmakers and several governors have called for investigations into alleged privacy violations regarding the handling of images and data generated by AI-backed surveillance cameras.
asserted
number → call → cameras
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism will hold a hearing titled: "Always Watching: Flock’s Nationwide AI Surveillance Network" on Sept. 23.
asserted
Subcommittee → hold → Sept.
"Americans do not surrender their privacy rights when they drive to work, drop their kids off at school, or go to church," subcommittee Chairman Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital in a statement.
asserted
Hawley → surrender → statement
"I’m investigating these companies to determine WHO has access to hundreds of millions of Americans’ data - and what they’re doing with it.
asserted
they → investigate → it
"
Garrett Langley, CEO of Flock Safety, Rick Smith, CEO of Axon Enterprise Inc., Greg Brown, CEO of Motorola Solutions and Filip Kaliszan, CEO of Verkada have all been invited to testify before the committee.
asserted
Langley → invite → committee
Fox News Digital reached out to the four companies invited to testify.
asserted
Digital → reach → companies
AI-powered surveillance cameras have been heavily scrutinized by lawmakers over concerns that the cameras track individuals’ movements without reason, regardless of whether a crime is being committed.
asserted
crime → power → reason
A number of politicians have taken action against the devices, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordering the removal of all license plate reader cameras from Florida state roads and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordering all state agencies to stop spending state money on Flock Safety cameras.
asserted
Abbott → take → cameras
Flock Safety cameras, along with other similar brands and technology, use artificial intelligence to automatically track and identify vehicles and license plates for local law enforcement use.
asserted
cameras → use → use
Nationwide concern has grown about whether the AI-backed system should be allowed to track the movement of vehicles without a warrant or the consent of drivers.
asserted
system → grow → drivers
A total of about 120,000 Flock Safety cameras are operating in the U.S. in every state except Alaska.
asserted
total → operate → Alaska
Opposition to Flock Safety cameras has created an unlikely political overlap, with Republicans and far-left activists criticizing the technology for very different reasons.
asserted
Republicans → create → reasons
Republican lawmakers have largely centered their objections on privacy rights, government overreach and warrantless surveillance, while socialist and communist organizers have incorporated the cameras into broader campaigns opposing artificial intelligence, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, data center development and what they describe as an emerging "police state" or "AI surveillance state."
asserted
they → center → state
President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that he supports the idea of Flock Safety cameras "because of law enforcement" and the aid AI-powered camera provide to police and local law enforcement.
asserted
camera → tell → police
Over the last year, several far-left organizations tied to a network funded by Shanghai-based tech businessman Neville Roy Singham have organized local opposition to Flock Safety cameras while simultaneously campaigning against new data center projects.
asserted
organizations → tie → projects
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders have continued to champion data center construction as part of the administration's broader technology and infrastructure agenda.
asserted
Trump → continue → agenda
The Party for Socialism and Liberation's Denver chapter teamed up with Indivisible and the far-left Sunrise Movement in May to promote a public forum focused on the alleged link between data centers and mass surveillance, contending that both exist to serve billionaires instead of everyday communities.
uncertain
both → team → communities
The Party for Socialism and Liberation's Tucson chapter joined "deFLOCK Tucson" and the "No Desert Data Center Coalition" on July 25 for a gathering dubbed "It's ALL Connected," held at the Global Justice Center on E. 26th Street.
asserted
It → join → Street
Event advertisements posed a question about what mass surveillance, data centers and electricity have in common, responding with a single message: "IT'S ALL CONNECTED."
asserted
IT → pose → message
The Aporia
