Throughout the event, demonstrators gathered signatures on a student petition calling for the removal of the Flock Safety system.<\/p>\n
Yanow said that he intends to present the petition to build support among fellow senators for the proposed resolution. In a written statement, Yanow said the SG should stand alongside students in opposing the technology, even if the SG does not have authority over the contract between UNF and Flock Safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not have the authority to cancel contracts made by UPD within SG. But we [have] the ability to advocate for students,\u201d reads the statement from Yanow.<\/p>\n
During the event, SDS member Niko Harden voiced concerns regarding university spending, arguing that student tuition dollars should not support the camera network.<\/p>\n Public records obtained by the UNF Spinnaker show that the University of North Florida Police Department funds its contracts<\/a> with Flock Safety through the university\u2019s Administration and Finance budget, rather than student tuition or activity fees.<\/p>\n Beyond financial concerns, Harden said that he initially saw the Flock cameras as just another method of surveillance but began to believe that they serve a more malicious purpose.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is about putting together years and years of tracking you as an individual, your vehicle, who you\u2019re with, where you\u2019re going,\u201d said Harden.<\/p>\n Harden said the lack of warrants needed to track individuals now is his biggest problem.<\/p>\n \u201cYour location that\u2019s on your phone is behind a warrant. Government agencies and police agencies need a warrant to get to that, but Flock is a private corporation that just sells this information,\u201d said Harden.<\/p>\n Flock Safety operates automated license plate reader cameras on public roadways, gathering vehicle movement data into a searchable database accessible to participating law enforcement agencies. On its website, Flock Safety states<\/a> that it does not sell personal data to third parties.<\/p>\n Harden said the lack of regulation on Flock cameras threatens communities.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no oversight on this stuff. The data that they collect stays there for years right now. It\u2019s disgusting that this is allowed and no one\u2019s looking over their shoulder,\u201d said Harden.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/MG_7713-600x400.jpg\")
Rachel Bacchus<\/a>
Jacksonville Students for a Democratic Society members Niko Harden, left, and Quinn Gomez, right, gather signatures for a petition to remove Flock cameras from UNF\u2019s campus, Oct. 28, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Student Government Sen. Jack Yanow plans to use the petition to convince his fellow senators to pass a joint resolution against Flock cameras at UNF.<\/p>\n