-- By NatashaDusaj - 29 Feb 2024
Databases of this information can be used to essentially create a record of the travel history of millions of drivers, regardless of their criminal history. Yes, the data that ALPRs collect on license plates is publicly available, but the history of who traveled where and when is not.
Regulations fail to curb the collection and use of this data. As of 2022, only 16 states have legislation expressly addressing the use of ALPRs or the retention of data collected by ALPRs and these policies vary widely [6]. In New Hampshire, data must be deleted within three minutes, in Maine, 21 days, and in other states, there is no limit [7].
The Courts also offer no protection. Police must have warrants to obtain location information based on mobile phones from cell phone providers because of “the depth, breadth, and comprehensive reach” of this data combined with “the inescapable and automatic nature of its collection” by simply carrying a cell phone (Carpenter v. US). As of now, the same does not apply to data collected by ALPRs.
Private companies have already commodified the data collected by ALPRs. Regulations should be put in place to curb how private parties can use ALPRs and the data they collect. Data retention policies must be implemented on a nation-wide level, requiring deletion within days or weeks. This data should not be permitted to be sold or monetized.
Personal choices are likely not exacerbating the issues. Unlike deleting certain apps on smart phones, or attempting to disable location services, people cannot drive a car without a license plate or avoid all roads where ALPRs are placed. However, where personal choices may not be increasing problems, individual complacency and lack of knowledge are certainly allowing ALPRs to operate unrestricted. Most think that cameras on top of streetlights or traffic lights only take pictures of those speeding or running red lights. Private efforts to share information on the capabilities of these cameras can shape how people think about surveillance as a concept.
Without increased knowledge from individuals, any efforts to pass legislation that curbs the use of ALPRs in favor of individual liberties will no doubt fail. The money backing the surveillance systems is too great of an incentive for government parties. In an ideal world, government parties would value the individual’s right to privacy, but without knowledge, subsequent outrage, and presence at voting booths, we are doomed to be tracked.
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