93 local governments drop Flock cameras as Alpha School plans 50 campuses
Data compiled by Oakland-based Secure Justice shows 93 local governments cut ties with Flock Safety cameras in August 2026 alone, and an average of three localities a day halted contracts over the last 30 days. In the same period Alpha School, which hands most teaching to AI software, plans to reach about 50 campuses, 27 newly announced, and to test the model in public schools in Houston and Springfield. Flock cancellations accelerated while Alpha School expanded its campus network.
Artificial Intelligence··Morning
Flock contracts end at record pace in August
Data compiled by the Oakland-based group Secure Justice counts 214 cities and counties that have dropped Flock Safety cameras since 2021, 93 of them ending contracts in August 2026 alone, four times the previous month. Over the last 30 days an average of three localities a day have halted contracts. The reasons given are unchecked surveillance, unwanted data sharing, high cost and reports of police abusing the tool. Brian Hofer, who runs Secure Justice, says 165 of the cancellations fall in the first eight months of this year.[1]
Flock responds under pressure
Flock spokesperson Courtney Terlecki wrote that in 2026 new city partnerships have outpaced non-renewals by roughly 10 to 1, and repeated that its products are used by over 5,000 communities. Pressure is coming from both parties: senator Josh Hawley announced he is investigating the company's collection, retention and dissemination of data, and after two Florida officers were arrested for misusing the tool, governor Ron DeSantis said the cameras had got out of hand in his state. The company's top lawyer wrote that its modified terms of use expressly prohibit customers from misleading, harassing or stalking another person, and chief executive Garrett Langley had announced that default data retention would drop from 30 days to 7.[1]
Alpha School expands its campus and public-school plans
Alpha School, which hands most of the teaching to AI software, plans to reach about 50 campuses this autumn, 27 of them newly announced. It is also starting to test the model in public schools: two in Houston and one in Springfield, Massachusetts. According to Carl Hendrick, the organisation's senior learning scientist, Joe Liemandt, who runs the school, wants to reach a billion children. Alpha has published measurements based on the Northwest Evaluation Association's MAP framework and reports strong maths and reading results; researchers warn those results may reflect the student profile rather than the programme's effect. A 404 Media investigation published this year pointed to faulty lessons in the model, and a former employee said students were being treated like test subjects.[2]
