There are many ways in which we are tracked in the real world, but one of the most ubiquitous and insidious technologies is Automated License Plate Readers. These camera systems are deployed in just about every city by both public and private organizations. Furthermore, the third parties who sell and operate these systems collect and collate data from around the country, making it available to law enforcement and marketing firms. Because these systems capture images of your car, they can also document the make, model and color, any distinguishing marks, and even bumper stickers. Today we’ll discuss how and where these systems are deployed, who has access to the data, the repercussions of this mass surveillance and how it can go horribly wrong with my guests Adam Schwartz and Gowri Nayar from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Interview Notes

• Donate to the EFF: https://supporters.eff.org/donate/join-eff-today 
• The Human Toll of ALPR Errors: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/11/human-toll-alpr-errors 
• EFF’s Street Level Surveillance: https://sls.eff.org/ 
• Community Control of Police Surveillance (CCOPS): https://www.eff.org/issues/community-control-police-surveillance-ccops 
• US 100-mile “border zone” facts: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/border-zone 
• Flock camera map: https://www.404media.co/the-open-source-project-deflock-is-mapping-license-plate-surveillance-cameras-all-over-the-world/ 
• DeFlock: https://deflock.me 
• Flock transparency page example: https://transparency.flocksafety.com/riverside-county-ca-sd 

Further Info

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Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:20: Intro
• 0:01:24: Listener survey and book giveaway
• 0:03:16: ShmooCon in DC this weekend
• 0:04:21: Interview setup
• 0:05:27: What prompted you to write about ALPRs?
• 0:08:11: How do ALPRs work and what info can they capture?
• 0:10:14: How long have ALPRs been around and how is EFF tracking their use?
• 0:11:34: Where are these systems deployed? How do we recognize them?
• 0:14:19: How does mobile ALPR data collection work?
• 0:15:58: Are police departments transparent about the use of ALPRs?
• 0:18:09: Is there a way know where ALPR systems are deployed?
• 0:20:46: How accurate are ALPRs? What are the consequences of failure?
• 0:22:37: Are license plate “hot lists” shared across jurisdictions?
• 0:25:41: Where is ALPR data stored? For how long? Who has access?
• 0:27:40: Is ALPR data shared among local and federal agencies? How often is the data abused?
• 0:31:04: Do the ALPR system operators sell this data to anyone else?
• 0:36:04: What legal expectation of privacy do I have in public spaces?
• 0:42:57: How does the legal “third party doctrine” apply to ALPR data?
• 0:45:01: How do we balance the need to catch bad guys with the use of surveillance tech?
• 0:50:18: Is there any surveillance tech that EFF feels should be banned outright?
• 0:52:17: Does EFF consult with law enforcement on deployment of surveillance tech?
• 0:53:05: If we’re concerned about surveillance tech being deployed, what can we do?
• 0:58:19: Interview wrap-up
• 0:59:29: Notes on the “border zone” width in the US
• 1:01:09: Patron preview
• 1:02:01: Survey reminder
• 1:02:50: Looking ahead