Episode Details

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 colle