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Montana Senate Candidate Deals Brutal Blow To ‘Creepy As Hell’ Flock Cameras In Wild Ad
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Seth Bodnar, an independent candidate running for U.S. Senate in Montana, took aim at the controversial Flock Safety cameras by literally shooting down a security device in his latest campaign ad on Monday. “Trump says he ‘likes’ Flock cameras. I say ‘Flock off,’” wrote Bodnar, a U.S. Army veteran and former University of Montana president, alongside a clip of him destroying a camera on his social media. (You can watch the wild ad here.) Bodnar’s video marks the latest instance of a 2026 candidate slamming Flock Safety, the U.S.-based surveillance tech manufacturer that has raised privacy concerns in communities across the country through its artificial intelligence-fueled network of automatic license plate readers. Communities nationwide have cut ties with Flock over the past year, amid backlash driven by concerns about law enforcement’s use of the surveillance tech, including in cases involving state and local agencies aiding federal immigration officers. Flock Safety responded to the backlash last month by announcing changes to the platform, including a required tool to flag any “abnormal search behavior” by law enforcement, according to The Associated Press. Bodnar’s ad arrived just a day after President Donald Trump expressed his “sort of” interest in Flock, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that while some people think the software is an “infringement” on their privacy, he likes it. Bodnar, who is trailing Republican nominee Kurt Alme by 8 points in a recent poll, used his ad to emphasize that “our privacy is not for sale.” “Getting groceries? They’re watching. Building a new deck? Going to church? Seeing a doctor? They’re watching. Buying ammo for the season? They’re watching,” he said. Bodnar added that the camera network is “creepy as hell,” tying data accumulated by it to the Trump-backed push for data centers “right in our backyards.” He added, “They are all getting rich, and we’re getting screwed, and nobody is holding them accountable.” The candidate then drilled a security camera into a stump on the ground and took a gun out of his vehicle before pulling the trigger and firing at the hardware from apparently several feet away. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
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