Privacy advocates challenge Automated License Plate Reader use in US cities

Activists and civil liberties groups in the United States are challenging the use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) due to privacy concerns. In San Diego, the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties has requested that the city government cancel the use of this technology, which is currently funded by public money and operated by the San Diego Police Department.

The ACLU describes the system as an invasive mass surveillance technology that operates 24 hours a day, collecting vast amounts of location and identification data. They argue that the technology reveals intimate details of individuals' lives, such as patterns of movement related to work, school, religious services, medical appointments, or protests.

In Houston, similar concerns have surfaced regarding Flock Safety cameras. These devices record license plates, vehicle characteristics (such as color and make), time, and location. While law enforcement agencies use the data to track vehicles and assist in investigations, residents and activists have protested the technology, questioning the amount of data collected on non-suspect drivers and the level of oversight regarding police searches.