"ALPRs are marketed to promote public safety. But their utility is debatable and they come with significant drawbacks. They don't just track "criminals." They track everyone, all the time. Your vehicle's movements can reveal where you work, worship and obtain medical care. ALPR vendors like Flock Safety put the location information of millions of drivers into databases, allowing anyone with access to instantly reconstruct the public's movements."
"But 'anyone with access' is far broader than just local police. Some California law enforcement agencies have used ALPR networks to run searches related to immigration enforcement. In other situations, purported issues with the system's software have enabled federal agencies to directly access California ALPR data. This is despite the promises of ALPR vendors and clear legal prohibitions. Communities are saying enough is enough."
Automated license plate readers collect location data on all vehicles, enabling continuous reconstruction of people's movements and revealing sensitive locations like workplaces, places of worship, and medical providers. Vendors such as Flock Safety aggregate millions of drivers' location records into searchable databases. Access to ALPR networks extends beyond local police and has been used for immigration-related searches. Software vulnerabilities and improper access have allowed federal agencies to obtain California ALPR data despite vendor assurances and legal restrictions. Multiple Bay Area cities and counties have paused or shut off ALPR cameras following unauthorized access revelations. The technology creates unacceptable risks for immigrants and other vulnerable populations.
Read at Electronic Frontier Foundation
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