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comment by am_Unition
am_Unition  ·  3903 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: L.A. Police Department argues that all license plate data is investigatory

Just so that everyone is clear, this is not a program confined to L.A.

There's quite a few private firms that are collecting data who have sold it or are looking to sell it to anyone interested. You'll hear the argument "if you're out in public, you're susceptible to being recorded", but I feel like at some point we need to decide as a democracy where to draw the line.





mk  ·  3903 days ago  ·  link  ·  

When I was a kid, my cousin and I used to stand at my bedroom window with notebooks, and record details of every pedestrian and car that drove by.

Should it be illegal to do the same with my PC? Or should there only be restrictions placed on the use of that data? I'm pretty comfortable with restrictions on the use of the data, but I don't know where I stand on the collection.

am_Unition  ·  3902 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Technology is evolving faster than most of the populace is able to understand, much less find the time for any kind of discussion. This is a primary example of such an issue.

I can honestly tell you that I don't know exactly where I stand on the collection either, and I couldn't tell you the details I'd like to see implemented for controlling the data distribution. What I know, without question, is that the total lack of attention, understanding, and regulation on the subject currently is not optimal.