Walid Hakim says he opposes Flock and Palantir, and objects to easy law-enforcement access and company use of travel data rather than to camera networks
Walid HakimGreen Party candidate for governor of South Carolina, in an emailed statement
In an email to Dispute Index on October 5, 2026, Walid Hakim, the Green Party candidate for governor of South Carolina, said his campaign opposes Palantir and every company connected to it, including Flock. He said the objection is not to the idea of a network of cameras but to law enforcement's easy access, which he said allows abuse, stalking and unauthorized surveillance, and to the companies' collection of data on people's travel habits for their own purposes.
“We oppose Palantir and all companies associated with them, including Flock. It’s not the idea of having a network of cameras that we oppose. It’s the easy access by law enforcement to allow abuse, stalking and unauthorized surveillance, and the data being collected by these companies of our travel habits to be used for their own purposes.”
Emailed statement
Read the full email
Good evening, We oppose Palantir and all companies associated with them, including Flock. It’s not the idea of having a network of cameras that we oppose. It’s the easy access by law enforcement to allow abuse, stalking and unauthorized surveillance, and the data being collected by these companies of our travel habits to be used for their own purposes. Walid Hakim
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Emailed statement
Emailed statement from Walid Hakim to Dispute Index on Flock license-plate cameras
Good evening, We oppose Palantir and all companies associated with them, including Flock. It’s not the idea of having a network of cameras that we oppose. It’s the easy access by law enforcement to allow abuse, stalking and unauthorized surveillance, and the data being collected by these companies of our travel habits to be used for their own purposes. Walid Hakim
About this source
Walid Hakim, the Green Party candidate for governor of South Carolina, sent this statement by email in reply to Dispute Index's questions on Flock-style license-plate cameras, from the campaign email address listed on his website. The link goes to his campaign website; the statement itself is not published there. The text is reproduced as sent, without the phone number he gave for clarification.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Dispute Index asked Hakim's campaign on September 30 and again on October 5 whether he supports, opposes or wants changes to the use of Flock-style license plate camera networks in South Carolina, and which changes.
After the quotation
As of October 5, 2026, we did not find an earlier public statement from him on the cameras.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Hakim says his campaign opposes Palantir, Flock and the companies connected to them, but that the objection is not to having a network of cameras. He objects to easy law-enforcement access and to companies' use of travel data. He rejects these vendors while accepting camera networks in principle, so we labeled it Mixed or conditional rather than Condemned. He names no law, contract or ban, so we placed it on the Guardrails step.
- Recorded on
- Published here
Corrections to this statement
These notices document reporting corrections, classification changes, and topic-label updates.
Classification correction
Correction to: Statement by Walid Hakim
- Previous classification
- Position Event #4860 classified the statement as "Condemned" and placed it on the Limit retention and use step.
- Corrected classification
- The statement rejects Palantir, Flock and the companies connected to them but says the objection is not to having a network of cameras, so the classification is "Mixed or conditional" and the placement is Guardrails, keep using.
The label treated the statement as rejecting license-plate camera networks. The speaker rejects these vendors and objects to easy law-enforcement access and company use of travel data, but says the objection is not to the idea of a network of cameras. Published statements that reject a vendor while accepting the technology are recorded as Mixed or conditional on the Guardrails step. The rationale was revised to match.
This corrects an editorial classification.
Emailed statement from Walid Hakim to Dispute Index on Flock license-plate cameras
Good evening, We oppose Palantir and all companies associated with them, including Flock. It’s not the idea of having a network of cameras that we oppose. It’s the easy access by law enforcement to allow abuse, stalking and unauthorized surveillance, and the data being collected by these companies of our travel habits to be used for their own purposes. Walid Hakim
Walid Hakim, the Green Party candidate for governor of South Carolina, sent this statement by email in reply to Dispute Index's questions on Flock-style license-plate cameras, from the campaign email address listed on his website. The link goes to his campaign website; the statement itself is not published there. The text is reproduced as sent, without the phone number he gave for clarification.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)More from this case
Read the full caseStephen Hamilton says he opposes Flock cameras and that government "should not be building a searchable record of where innocent people travel"
“I oppose Flock cameras because privacy should apply to everyone—including the people who build and operate surveillance technology. If the people behind these systems believe their own photographs, personal information, or movements deserve protection, then why should ordinary Coloradans be treated differently? Government should not be building a searchable record of where innocent people travel. Tell law enforcement to do the job they were hired to do—investigate crimes, pursue criminals, and protect the public without turning every citizen into a surveillance target.”Read statement
Michael Addison would keep Flock cameras for criminal investigations under statewide safeguards, including judicial approval for prolonged tracking
“I would support these networks only when enforceable safeguards protect both.”Read statement
Rep. Suzan DelBene says license plate readers need clear, transparent rules and accountability for misuse
“We need regulations that ensure these tools are used in a clear, transparent way and that violations or misuse come with accountability.”Read statement
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Walid Hakim says he opposes Flock and Palantir, and objects to easy law-enforcement access and company use of travel data rather than to camera networks
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/4860-in-an-email-to-dispute-index-on-october
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Walid Hakim says he opposes Flock and Palantir, and objects to easy law-enforcement access and company use of travel data rather than to camera networks". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4860-in-an-email-to-dispute-index-on-october