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License Plates Now Track Your Devices
22 Jun
Summary
- New technology links license plates with device location data.
- Law enforcement databases grow with billions of license plates tracked.
- A website helps drivers actively avoid surveillance cameras.
Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology is rapidly advancing, with companies now aiming to link license plate data with the location signals from phones, AirPods, and smartwatches. This integration seeks to create a more comprehensive picture of who is driving specific vehicles and when.
Hundreds of ALPR devices are being deployed, with over 5,000 law enforcement agencies utilizing systems that track billions of license plates monthly, building extensive databases. Concerns are mounting over the potential for misuse and hacking of this surveillance data.
In response to growing privacy concerns, a new website called DeFlock offers individuals the ability to plan routes that actively avoid ALPR cameras. This tool allows users to select their desired level of camera avoidance, providing alternative routes with estimated time and mileage adjustments.
Privacy advocates, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have warned that these systems facilitate mass surveillance and are susceptible to abuse. Their investigations revealed numerous searches of surveillance data related to protest activities, highlighting the potential for governmental overreach.
