Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are AI-powered cameras that capture and analyze images of all passing vehicles, storing details like your car's location, date, and time. They also capture your car's make, model, color, and identifying features such as dents, roof racks, and bumper stickers, often turning these into searchable data points. These cameras collect data on millions of vehicles—regardless of whether the driver is suspected of a crime. While these systems can be useful for tracking stolen cars or wanted individuals, they are mostly used to track the movements of innocent people.
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This month, Judge Elizabeth Yost Neidzwski sided with Rodriguez, declaring that the photos are indeed public records and must be accessible like any other government data.
Her reasoning was blunt: the Flock network’s surveillance scope was ‘so broad and indiscriminate’ that it captured mostly innocent citizens, not suspects.
Now both cities have switched off their cameras indefinitely.
The most shocking thing about this post to me is the fact that AOL is still a thing.
When Rodriguez requested data from multiple departments, some complied, providing thousands of images that showed not only license plates but also the faces of everyday drivers. Others refused, arguing the requests were too broad or that releasing the data would threaten public safety. Two cities, Sedro Woolley and Stanwood, went a step further: they sued Rodriguez to block the release entirely.