The Balance Of Safety And Privacy With Automated Plate Readers

Here's an ethical question. Police departments across the country (including Minnesota and Wisconsin) are being equipped with automated license plate readers. The device is mounted on a squad car, and it reads the license plates of vehicles on the road automatically.

The reader then converts the license plate photo to text, and it's automatically cross-referenced with a database for stolen vehicles, wanted people, Amber alerts, and other criminal investigations.

I can definitely see the benefit in some cases, like finding stolen vehicles or missing people. But the ethical question is, where do you draw the line?

I didn't even know this technology existed until I saw a story about a stolen vehicle being recovered with the help of automated readers.

Minnesota Law Allows It For Certain Data Collection

In Minnesota, they are legal by state law. Data collected by an automated license plate reader is limited to the following:

1. license plate numbers
2. date, time, and location on vehicles
3. pictures of license plates, other vehicles, and areas surrounding the vehicle.

Wisconsin doesn't have specific laws regarding automated license plate readers. They instead leave it up to local governments to decide.

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Growing Concern Over Privacy Data

It really is a catch-22. I 100% approve of this technology being used to find missing persons or to find serious crimes. But I think it's overstepping if it's being used to find bench warrants or things related to non-violent crimes.

Read More: Do You Really Need A Front License Plate In Wisconsin?

It's not a new technology; it's just being used more and more. Traffic speeding cameras have been controversial and have been catching speeders for years. This is just a steady scanner checking every plate on the road.

What do you think? Is it an overstep? Should there be more laws and restrictions on this Big Brother technology?