Oconee County Council Advances Ordinance to Ban Mass Surveillance Cameras

Greenville Spartanburg Asheville Anderson, SC, August 18, 2026 —

OCONEE COUNTY, SC – The Oconee County Council has taken a significant step toward restricting the use of mass surveillance technology within the county. During a recent meeting, the council passed the first reading of a proposed ordinance that would ban the deployment of Flock and similar surveillance cameras on county property and roads.

The measure, driven by concerns over citizen privacy, specifically targets the use of funds for such technologies. If enacted, the ordinance would prohibit the allocation of county money towards the purchase or maintenance of mass surveillance systems. Additionally, it mandates that any existing or future access to audit logs from such systems must be made available.

The ordinance is set to undergo further review, including additional readings by the county council and a public hearing. This process will allow for broader community input before a final vote is taken on the proposed ban.

The specifics regarding the number of cameras currently in use or the exact nature of the audit logs required were not detailed in the initial summary. The timeline for the subsequent readings and the public hearing was also not provided.

The Oconee County Council’s move reflects a growing debate nationwide regarding the balance between public safety and individual privacy in the age of advanced surveillance technologies.

Story summarized from the original created by Ashley Listrom on www.foxcarolina.com, see more information here.