License plate scanners have a similar set of problems. Let’s say you have a local politician who is in a tussle with the local police union, not an uncommon situation in modern America. Queries into scan records could show that the politician and another license plate regularly meet at motels, revealing an affair. This could then be leaked to the media, ridding themselves of an opponent.
Because of this, any legislation should be written more broadly to consider the ethical implications of data collection. This was stuff we talked about a decade ago in an undergrad ethics course I took as part of a CS degree. It is high time we start codifying at least some protections into law.
It is high time we start codifying at least some protections into law
Yes, it’s sadly true.
For the issue you described above you wouldn’t necessarily need license plate scanners as it might be done with "correlation analysis" using CCTVs.
China’s government, which has been the most aggressive in using surveillance and AI to control its population, uses co-appearance searches to spot protesters and dissidents by merging video with a vast network of databases.
[In the US] no laws expressly prohibit police from using co-appearance searches […], “but it’s an open question” whether doing so would violate constitutionally protected rights of free assembly and protections against unauthorized searches.
In Europe, Asia and Africa the situation is similar to the US afaik, which means police departments and private companies have to weigh the balance of security and privacy on their own.
Yes, but a federal ban in the US is not enough. We need bans also in Europe, China and all other countries …
well a ban in the US would be a great start
It would be a start but not helpful if it stops there. The surveillance in China and its social credit system is a desaster for the people and much worse. A ban in the US doesn’t help the people over there.
Edit for an addition: Iran to install cameras in public to spot women wearing no hijab
