After Town Bans Flock, Councilmember Crashes Out, Proposes Internet, Phone Ban (www.404media.co)

The city council of Bandera, Texas, has voted to terminate its contract with Flock, a surveillance technology provider, following intense local opposition to the installation of AI-powered license plate reader cameras. This decision marks a significant shift in community sentiment towards privacy and government surveillance, as residents expressed their discontent by vandalizing the camera installations. The council's 3-2 vote reflects growing concerns about the implications of such technologies for civil liberties in this small town of about 900 people. In a controversial response, Councilmember Jeff Flowers announced plans for a sweeping set of regulations dubbed the "Bandera Declaration of Digital Independence." Flowers proposed banning all modern technology, including cell phones, internet access, and outward-facing cameras, arguing that true privacy can only be achieved by reverting to 19th-century practices. This radical proposal underscores the contentious debate within the AI/ML community regarding the balance between public safety and privacy, as well as the ethical implications of surveillance technologies in small-town governance. The outcome in Bandera could set a precedent for similar discussions in other communities grappling with the complexities of surveillance and personal privacy.