An EFF analysis of millions of searches of Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) data by police has uncovered a troubling pattern: in the absence of a warrant requirement to search ALPR databases, law enforcement agencies have moved beyond specific investigations to use these surveillance networks for virtually any whim.
  • AlreadyDefederated@midwest.socialEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    Can we stop calling them “License Plate Readers”? Basically they are cameras with A.I., and they slurp up everything visual they can see.

  • FauxLiving@lemmy.world
    6·
    2 days ago

    It is frighteningly easy to get access to Flock’s system, so it isn’t just police.

    If you know a guy you can get a report on any license plate. Corporate security, Private Investigators, School administrators, etc. They’ll all have access and it is virtually unaudited so stalking is going to become even more rampant.

      • FauxLiving@lemmy.world
        2·
        2 days ago

        Global surveillance doesn’t discriminate, everyone who moves around on surface roads or flies in the sky, or carries a cellphone can be located fairly accurately via these technologies.

        People have been able to track rich people for a long time, they primary use aircraft to get around and flight information information is public. They also can afford to hire high speed security and can afford the equipment/vehicles to operate in a way that is harder to trace.

        If that’s not something that you have the money to have access to, then a random person getting access to the ability to track you leaves you a lot more exposed to danger.

        This is why there are such strong privacy concerns about these technologies. The amount of danger that they could possibly protect us from is outweighed by the amount of danger that they put us in.