Bipartisan Ohio Lawmakers Request Limits on Flock Cameras and AI-Activated Surveillance
A bipartisan coalition of Ohio lawmakers has formally requested that the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) halt the issuance of new permits for Flock automatic license plate readers and other AI-activated cameras. The letter, signed by Representatives Tristan Rader (D-Lakewood), Darnell Brewer (D-Cleveland), Levi Dean (R-Xenia), and Justin Pizzulli (R-Scioto Cty.), specifically asks ODOT to stop allowing new installations of this technology within the state’s rights-of-way, primarily along highways. Additionally, the lawmakers urged ODOT to review existing applications for license plate readers. Representative Rader emphasized that these cameras should not enable widespread tracking of individuals, especially those who have not committed any crimes, advocating for strong safeguards to protect privacy and safety. The letter argues that the continued expansion of AI-activated cameras and their data collection effectively creates a statewide tracking system without adequate regulations, stating that th... 
