License Plate Cameras Stir Privacy Fears
The increasing use of highway "spy" cameras that read license plates has created a stir among privacy advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union and others who have studied the issue.
The website www.govtech.com explores both sides of the issue in an article about the proliferation of the systems across the country.
Among those concerned about the privacy issue is this expert: "The real potential for danger is collecting a tremendous amount of information, which can then be used, very inexpensively, to do speculative data mining based on searches to target people for various kinds of extra-judicial harassment," said Andrew Blumberg, a Samelson postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University.
Most agencies are keeping the data for extended periods because of the investigative factor and because storage of the numerical data is easy. Blumberg said it would be better if the information expired after a few days, but that won't happen.
"It's so easy to make copies of things. How could you possibly assure a hygienic information trail?" he asked. "Look at the E-ZPass [electronic toll] data; it's being subpoenaed in civil court to be used in evidence in divorce cases."
Blumberg said the issues of how cameras are used and what happens to the data they produce deserve serious consideration. "All I really want is for there to be a national debate and for people to acknowledge that this is what's happened. Then we can make informed decisions about what the law ought to be and what reasonable expectations are, or how private people should be when using a car t corner to track everyone's movements. "That's what makes me uncomfortable," and public access."
As the devices get cheaper, they could theoretically be put on every streeBlumberg said of a proliferation of license plate readers. "There will be a post on every corner and it's recording all of the license plates that go by, and that can be used to track everybody all the time without anybody ever knowing it's happening."
The website www.govtech.com explores both sides of the issue in an article about the proliferation of the systems across the country.
Among those concerned about the privacy issue is this expert: "The real potential for danger is collecting a tremendous amount of information, which can then be used, very inexpensively, to do speculative data mining based on searches to target people for various kinds of extra-judicial harassment," said Andrew Blumberg, a Samelson postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University.
Most agencies are keeping the data for extended periods because of the investigative factor and because storage of the numerical data is easy. Blumberg said it would be better if the information expired after a few days, but that won't happen.
"It's so easy to make copies of things. How could you possibly assure a hygienic information trail?" he asked. "Look at the E-ZPass [electronic toll] data; it's being subpoenaed in civil court to be used in evidence in divorce cases."
Blumberg said the issues of how cameras are used and what happens to the data they produce deserve serious consideration. "All I really want is for there to be a national debate and for people to acknowledge that this is what's happened. Then we can make informed decisions about what the law ought to be and what reasonable expectations are, or how private people should be when using a car t corner to track everyone's movements. "That's what makes me uncomfortable," and public access."
As the devices get cheaper, they could theoretically be put on every streeBlumberg said of a proliferation of license plate readers. "There will be a post on every corner and it's recording all of the license plates that go by, and that can be used to track everybody all the time without anybody ever knowing it's happening."
Labels: Brad Henry, Highway Cameras, InsureNet Oklahoma
posted by Mike McCarville @ 11:48 AM
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