I wouldn't consider a license plate to be private.

Again:

fabtasticwill wrote:
What i'm saying is that it could turn into a problem but isn't one now.

fabtasticwill wrote:
What I was saying is that it could turn into another violation of privacy, but is not one now.

fabtasticwill wrote:

Has anybody seen this? http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/07/17/license-plate-scanners-aclu-privacy/2524939/ . I personally think its kind of scary, not what there doing, but how it could be used. In addition, if those where put on normal cameras, it could end up being used to know where you are every second of the day. Just think about that, it's like having eyes watching your every move.

Ever signed anything when you bought a car and/or license plate? Did you read what you signed?

To tell you the truth, i'm not even close to being old enough to have a car.

If you're so into privacy maybe take a look at some videos by privacy, he's done a really good one on engines and why they need so much data to work in the first place, the more data you give it the better it works.

Have you ever been on YouTube on so one else's account an even though you might e watching one video the recommended tab is full of things aren't are know where near to what you're watching and you're most likely not interested in. Engines collect data to better tailor themselves to your likes.

When it comes to licence plates these are legal requirements for vehicles and might as well be owned by the government so the fact that the government can track your position by your plate is kind of their right if you use a car.

If you use other peoples services don't complain

When it comes to licence plates these are legal requirements for vehicles and might as well be owned by the government so the fact that the government can track your position by your plate is kind of their right if you use a car.

Now I don't really care that much if they do have license plate scanners, though what is said in the quote is kind of scary to me. To say that it is the governments "right" to track your position because they mandate you to have a license plate is what is scary to me. They are the ones that require the plate to be on there it is not a choice that citizens have so there is no other alternatives that they have.

The government has no such right to track its citizens (At least not in my country USA) and to give them said right just because they mandate you to have a license plate is bizarre.

I am curious if the government mandated that you have to use a government issued sim card with your cell phone would that give them the right to track your position through that also? Of course they have done no such thing and it is just a hypothetical question.

I would also like to say that no the government doesn't own the license plate (We still have to pay for the license plate which means it is a legal transfer of goods which we own).

I am by no means a privacy freak and don't really think that license plate scanners are as harmful as the OP is making them out to be, though I am against giving our governments the right to "track" its citizens and do believe that is an invasion of privacy. Remember the governments work for us, not the other way around.

Driving is a privilege.

@Zereo
The US government gave itself the right to track its citizens before even 9/11 happened. We're a paranoid, paranoid country (just look at the common justifications for gun ownership), and our government reflects that.

It's also probably more accurate to describe the relationship you have with the government in terms of license places as "rental". You pay them a sum of money, they let you have the plate for a period of time, after which you no longer get to have it unless you pay them again.

-Albatross

It showed an ad to find license plate owners on the top of the page. Thats kind of funny.

Driving is a privilege.

Indeed it is, but just because it is privilege doesn't imply that they have the right to track citizens movements without probable cause to do so.

Now I am only talking about the USA and not other counties. But just because they give us the privilege to drive doesn't imply that they have the right to track where everyday citizens go. The two don't correlate. They are two separate matters all together.

As with everything in the USA they need to pass a law to have the "right" to track everyday citizens by using their license plates without probable cause to do so. As of right now I am not aware of such a law.

But again not really concerned about the license plate matter becauseI don't really feel it is being abused as some state it is but that is just my opinion.

The US government gave itself the right to track its citizens before even 9/11 happened.

Yes it did but as far as I am aware they only gave themselves the right to track citizens only if they have probable cause to do so. They don't have the right or legal backing to track everyday citizens (Though I wouldn't be surprised if they did so anyways).

It's also probably more accurate to describe the relationship you have with the government in terms of license places as "rental". You pay them a sum of money, they let you have the plate for a period of time, after which you no longer get to have it unless you pay them again.

This more accurately describes vehicle "tags" which you have to replace. Though indeed license plates did used to be used like this before we used tags to show you are registered (You had to get a new license plate every year). Though now I believe in all states you get to keep the license plate as long as you own the vehicle (Even if you move states).

Indeed it is, but just because it is privilege doesn't imply that they have the right to track citizens movements without probable cause to do so.

They're not tracking citizens, they're tracking cars.

Considering cars have to be legal and registered 20 different ways to be on the road in the first place, this does not seem unreasonable to me.


This isn't necessarily sinister. Ever hear of Lojack? People actually went out of their way and paid money to have their cars trackable.

Yes it did but as far as I am aware they only gave themselves the right to track citizens only if they have probable cause to do so. They don't have the right or legal backing to track everyday citizens (Though I wouldn't be surprised if they did so anyways).

I think we should all stop and ask if any of us here actually know what the law is for this. Personally, I have no idea.

Until we actually know what the law is, it doesn't make sense to speculate what it might be -- or assume it is something and then get into arguments about how that assumption might be unfair.

Though now I believe in all states you get to keep the license plate as long as you own the vehicle (Even if you move states).

In my state at least, plates expire every couple of years. So in addition to new tags every year, you have to pay extra to get a new plate every ~5 years.

AFAIK there's no reason for it other than pulling in extra money.