Congress’s Flock backlash splits between banning the network and regulating searches

404 Media’s October 6 reporting tracks two distinct legislative responses to automated license-plate surveillance. Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jeff Merkley released the Ban Flock Act on October 2. It would prohibit federal agencies from using plate readers or accessing their data, withhold federal grants from state and local governments using the technology, and permit lawsuits against the federal government over violations.

Josh Hawley’s September 30 proposal, the Stop Flock Abuse Act, would keep networks operating under restrictions. It calls for written search authorizations, audit trails and regular supervisory review; deletion after ten days with narrow exceptions for active investigations; restrictions on sharing with nongovernmental parties; and a prohibition on facial recognition within these networks.

The proposals respond to documented concerns about immigration lookups and protest monitoring. Flock has previously changed sharing arrangements and introduced tools intended to block prohibited searches, according to 404 Media. Those product changes leave the wider disagreement unresolved.

Analysis: this is cross-party concern without a common legislative destination. One approach treats routine location collection as the problem and seeks to withdraw government participation. The other accepts collection but tries to constrain access and retention. The practical difference is whether a searchable travel history exists in the first place. Neither announcement establishes passage, and existing networks do not disappear because a bill has been introduced.