From Newsgroup: alt.privacy
The Florida Department of Transportation revoked permits for all license
plate readers, including Flock cameras, along state highways, amid
criticism for privacy violations.
(LifeSiteNews) rCo The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is
removing controversial Flock cameras and other license plate readers
from state highways, following growing concerns about the privacy
implications of the technology.
Spectrum News has published an August 31 memo by FDOT Assistant
Secretary and Chief Operating Officer Will Watts announcing the
revocation of permits for all License Plate Recognition Systems (LPR) to
local law enforcement agencies, citing rCLrecent exponential increase in deployments along our roadways, coupled with concerning reports of
misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes.rCY
No new LPR permits will be issued, either, though the order does not
cover cameras on private property, city or county roads, or mobile
devices.
Florida Politics adds that almost 7,500 LPRs are estimated to be in use
across 100 Florida law enforcement agencies, which in turn is just a
slice of more than 100,000 deployed across the country.
The staterCOs conservative Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis explained the move
on Monday, saying, rCLI donrCOt want things that are sweeping up just
everyday citizens, and werCOre told donrCOt worry about it. No onerCOs going to use it. Then come to find out some company is harvesting that and
they can make a fortune.rCY
rCLIf they can create a dossier on your movements, they would be able to
make a fortune in selling that to companies for advertising and for
product placement and all these other things,rCY DeSantis added. rCLHave we not had enough of that over these recent years?rCY
While supporters argue the cameras can help crack down on everything
from speeding to kidnappers to violent fugitives, critics say that the
system is rife with abuse. Treasure Coast Newspapers analyzed more than
five million Flock searches in Florida and found increasing instances of officers using them to track rCLex-romantic partners, protesters and
suspected undocumented immigrants.rCY It also notes that Flock does not require the reasons for a search to be reported.
rCLAt least 19 police and sheriffrCOs office employees across five states
were arrested, fired, put on leave or investigated after USA TODAYrCOs analysis flagged irregular Flock searches,rCY the paper found. rCLMost of these were related to people tracking their ex-romantic partners. In
nearly every case, it was journalists rCo not the officersrCO own agencies rCo who discovered the pattern. Departments acted only after being
contacted.rCY
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/florida-orders-removal-of-flock- cameras-from-highways/?utm_source=latest_news
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