Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) are a relatively new technology that is being implemented quite rapidly. The cameras look similar to regular security cameras, but are usually larger and may have multiple lenses. They are constantly scanning for vehicle license plates as they pass vehicles or as vehicles pass them. The cameras can be stationed in many places such as parking garages, beside streets, near the entrances to parking lots and even on top of police cars. University police has a few marked patrol cars which have the cameras mounted on top. They drive around using the cameras to scan plates and determine which cars have a valid parking permit. The technology makes sense and is neat in ways, but does pose a threat to privacy. The main reason as to why is because there is nothing you can do about. By law you are required to have a valid license plate on your vehicle and it is illegal to obstruct it in any way. Therefore, there isn’t a way to get around the ALPR systems. The uses for these systems aren’t malicious by nature, being parking enforcement, tracking down stolen vehicles, tracking criminal’s vehicles and more. It is still important to be aware of this technology and understand that the license plates being scanned are certainly being stored in a database somewhere potentially for many years. Also, misuse of the data collected by these systems is possible, such as by rogue officers at police departments. As these systems become more widely implemented, it will likely be possible to track a vehicle as it moves through an area or city in real time. This is something to be aware of, but unfortunately there aren’t any legal ways to combat it yourself at this time.
https://www.eff.org/pages/automated-license-plate-readers-alpr
LIS 4022 Spring 2020 