After Town Bans Flock, Councilmember Proposes Total Tech Ban
Following months of discussion and outrage from residents over surveillance technology in their town, the city council of Bandera, Texas voted to end its contract with Flock. In the aftermath, one dissenting council member, Jeff Flowers, crashed out of a meeting and proposed measures banning internet, phones, cameras, and nearly all technology for the town’s 900 residents.
Background on Flock
- The city had received state funding to install eight Flock Safety AI license plate reader cameras in Bandera.
- Vandals repeatedly destroyed these cameras, leading the town to replace them at their own expense.
- Residents expressed concerns about government surveillance and privacy issues during multiple council meetings.
Ban Proposal Details
- Flores announced he would propose a series of new regulations including:
- A ban on all cellular and GPS-capable devices for city operations.
- A total ban on outward-facing cameras.
- An end to all internet services and electronic record-keeping, reverting to paper ledgers and cash only.
Response from Residents and Town Leaders
- Residents argued that keeping the cameras in place would continue to be a point of contention and vandalism.
- The city council voted to de-activate any Flock cameras owned by the city, ending their contract entirely.
- Flores’ proposal was met with criticism for being overly extreme, particularly from residents who felt they had already made clear their objections to surveillance systems.
Key Takeaways
- The controversy surrounding Flock cameras highlighted ongoing debates about privacy and government surveillance in small towns.
- Council members’ proposals often reflected a desire for more restrictive measures, despite residents’ expressed concerns.
- The Bandera case serves as an example of the broader national conversation on surveillance technology and community control over such systems.
Read more in the Bandera Bulletin.
Originally published at 404media.co. Curated by AI Maestro.
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