A NEW automatic traffic device has led to driver fearing over the use of their personal data.
Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are set to be installed in a ,major neighborhood to address local safety concerns.
Privacy concerns grow as Cheviot Hills installs ALPRs to combat local crimeGetty GettyCritics warn ALPRs could misuse driver data while aiming to improve neighborhood safety[/caption]According to LAist, authorities are trying to make a balance between safety concerns and privacy issues, with the purpose of ALPRs to capture images of license plates and store the data for law enforcement.
Residents have requested these cameras due to recent burglaries and safety concerns, but critics, including organizations like the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warn that such technology can infringe on privacy.
The tech, due to come to the Cheviot Hills neighborhood of West Los Angeles, can track not only criminals but all drivers – linking license plate numbers to personal information and potentially creating profiles of individuals.
This data can be misused, such as targeting protestors or vulnerable communities.
Cindy Kane, secretary of the Cheviot Hills Neighborhood Association, said privacy concerns were considered before the neighborhood moved forward with the project.
She said: “It is important to note that the ALPRs will only collect and record information that is exposed to public view, where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy.
“Thus, we do not believe ALPRs unreasonably interfere with the privacy rights of drivers in Cheviot Hills.”
Furthermore, state law limits the sharing of ALPR data, although reports suggest that some California police departments, including the LAPD, have illegally shared data with federal immigration agencies like ICE.
LAPD denies sharing data with ICE and states that it only collaborates with certain local agencies.
Commander Randy Goddard revealed to reporters that the LAPD only shares this kind of data with five other agencies; the Huntington Park, La Mesa, West Covina and Livermore police departments and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department.
He added: “Any agency in the state of California is still under the umbrella of the law.
“Every agency is held to the same standard that they cannot share ALPR data or resources for immigration purposes.”
However, skepticism remains about whether these safeguards are adequately enforced, with privacy advocates – including the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU – highlighting the potential for abuse
They note that ALPR data can be used to monitor individuals for reasons unrelated to law enforcement, including political or social activities.
“ICE has long embraced technology to target immigrants,” they wrote.
“Now it’s taking surveillance to an unprecedented level to target vulnerable communities – and sweeping up everyone else in the process.”
And Matthew Guariglia, a senior policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said that ALPRs don’t just track criminals – they track everyone.
Indeed, a license plate number links to your registration, which links to your DMV file ans has a driver’s photo and home address.
Guariglia said: “There are always ways that companies want to expand the information that police can learn just from scanning a single license plate.
“So your online profile, your name, links to your social media accounts, all of these things can be very easily linked to an identity created and triggered by scanning your license plate number.”
“Suddenly, something you thought was a First Amendment protected activity now lands you under scrutiny of police,” Guariglia added.
“And suddenly that license plate reader data, which you thought was so innocuous, is a lot less innocuous.”
He also warned that police are not above breaking the law, adding: “It’s hard when you have police departments that are so untransparent, where you don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes.
“It’s very easy for them to defy exactly what they’ve been ordered not to do.”
Proper conduct during a traffic stop
According to the ACLU, there are a few tips for ensuring a smooth traffic stop, no matter the violation.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place away from traffic as soon as possible. Kill the engine, roll down the windows, and place your hands on the driving wheel. If it’s dark outside, turn on the interior lights to give the officer a good visual. If you’re in the passenger’s seat, keep your hands visible. Only reach for your purse or wallet, registration, and proof of insurance when instructed to by the officers. Do not reach for the glove box until prompted by the officer. Do not make sudden movements. Narrate everything you’re doing, ie, “I’m reaching for my purse in the backseat.” Keep your tone calm and respectful.Source: ACLU
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