US bill seeks to restrict Flock camera use by threatening state funds
A bipartisan bill has been introduced in Congress that would reduce federal highway funding for states unless they limit the use of Flock cameras and similar automated license plate readers. The proposed law would allow use of these cameras only for purposes such as tolls, tracking stolen or endangered vehicles, and certain felony investigations. Lawmakers say this measure addresses abuses by police officers and aims to protect civil liberties.
- Bill introduced by bipartisan House members
- Funding withheld if states don't restrict camera uses
- Permitted uses cover only serious public safety needs
- Proposal responds to reported police misuse of camera footage
- Does not ban Flock systems entirely
Sources covering this
More in Big Tech
Nvidia agrees to acquire Hugging Face for $12.9 billion
Nvidia has agreed to acquire AI platform Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, marking one of its largest deals to date. Hugging Face is a widely used online repository for open-source AI models and tools, serving over 18 million developers and more than 200,000 companies. Both firms stated the platform will remain open, and users will not be required to use Nvidia’s hardware or services. The deal follows significant recent security incidents involving AI models on Hugging Face.
Apple sets iOS 27 launch for September 14
Apple says iOS 27 drops Monday, September 14, bringing its overhauled Siri AI assistant. Siri AI’s launching as a beta, but only in English at first—other major languages follow in October. Siri AI is powered in part by Google’s Gemini models and needs recent hardware: iPhone 15 Pro and newer, or specific iPads running M1 chips. The update also adds a new UI slider for screen transparency and more granular volume controls.
Developers get Apple Health app beta with new AI features
Apple just pushed out the first beta of iOS 27.2 to developers, and the big news is a new Health app powered by Apple Intelligence—a suite of AI features. Early testers now see an Insights tab with personalized guidance and a Longevity tab to track health age, but some features, like blood test ordering, won't show up until later betas. You'll need a recent iPhone for the upgrade.
Apple releases first iOS 27.2 developer beta
Apple has released the first developer beta of iOS 27.2 for iPhone, just two days after the public rollout of iOS 27. The release comes unexpectedly before iOS 27.1, which is being held for the iPhone Duo expected in October. The update may preview features such as expanded Siri AI language support, a redesigned Health app, and the return of delayed Apple Intelligence features.