A new federal bill aims to stop the automatic creation of digital footprints for millions of American drivers by restricting the scope of license plate networks. Senator Josh Hawley introduced the STOP Flock Abuse Act on September 30 to curb AI-enhanced surveillance and protect citizens from unauthorized tracking. The legislation follows a Senate hearing where the company Flock admitted its cameras can identify bumper stickers and capture images of passengers inside vehicles.

The bill responds to widespread reports of misuse, including charges against 5 Indianapolis police officers for tracking romantic partners, with one officer allegedly searching more than 1,000 plates. Other vulnerabilities include the sale of law enforcement accounts by Russian dark web vendors and wrongful arrests that jailed an Army veteran for 30 days and another woman for 13 days. In response to these concerns, Boston disabled its cameras and an Arizona sheriff canceled his county's contract with the firm.