ALPR systems can capture ordinary drivers at scale
Automated license plate reader systems can collect location data from people who are not suspected of any crime.
Broad dragnet collection can normalize routine location tracking of daily life.
Your movements are being tracked
BlockFlock challenges dragnet vehicle surveillance.
Public safety should not require indefinite location tracking of ordinary people. This campaign pushes for retention limits, transparency, and enforceable oversight.
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Join a public call for strict limits on bulk license plate surveillance.
Safety policy needs public oversightLimit retention of location recordsRequire audit logs for every queryReject dragnet surveillance modelsProtect lawful movement and speechUse targeted tools, not mass trackingSafety policy needs public oversightLimit retention of location recordsRequire audit logs for every queryReject dragnet surveillance modelsProtect lawful movement and speechUse targeted tools, not mass tracking
// WHAT'S HAPPENING
Mass surveillance has expanded faster than public safeguards.
What this campaign argues
A community can support public safety and reject blanket location surveillance. We argue for limits that are auditable, enforceable, and understandable to the public.
Why this matters right now
As ALPR networks expand, policy often trails deployment. This creates a gap where data collection can scale faster than safeguards.
What responsible governance looks like
- Narrow data collection tied to defined purposes
- Short retention windows with clear deletion rules
- Independent audits and public reporting
- Real penalties for policy violations
// EVIDENCE
Claims are mapped to sources and built for verification.
Retention policies matter for civil liberties
The longer historical location data is retained, the greater the risk of mission creep and misuse.
Historic travel patterns can expose sensitive associations, including religious, medical, or political visits.
Oversight and auditing are baseline safety requirements
Surveillance systems used for policing should include transparent audits, access controls, and independent oversight.
Without meaningful accountability, abuse can remain hidden and public trust erodes.
Accuracy and data quality failures can cause real harm
Errors in data sources, matching workflows, or alerting logic can contribute to wrongful stops and escalations.
People can be pulled into police encounters because of stale, incorrect, or context-free system outputs.
// IMPACT
Unchecked tracking can create systemic safety tradeoffs.
Chilling effect on lawful movement
People may alter everyday travel when broad monitoring feels unavoidable.
Elevated misuse risk
Long retention and wide access increase opportunities for unauthorized lookups.
Trust erosion
Public institutions lose legitimacy when surveillance expands without visible safeguards.
// TAKE ACTION
Move policy with concrete public pressure.
Sign a petition and send a source-backed message to elected officials. These actions are lightweight individually but powerful in aggregate.
Email decision-makers
Use a prewritten, source-backed message and send it through your own email client.
Subject
Request for Transparent Limits on Mass License Plate Surveillance
Talking points
- Mass collection can include ordinary drivers with no link to a crime.
- Long retention windows increase the risk of misuse and mission creep.
- Audit logs, independent oversight, and public reporting are baseline safeguards.
Template ready. Customize recipient and send.
// FAQ
Common questions
Is this website anti-safety or anti-law-enforcement?
The campaign supports evidence-based public safety and seeks guardrails that reduce abuse, error, and overreach in surveillance systems.
Why focus on transparency and retention limits?
Transparency, auditability, and strict retention windows are practical safeguards that lower the risk of misuse while preserving legitimate investigative use.
Are all ALPR uses inherently unlawful?
No. The concern is unchecked mass collection and weak accountability, not narrowly scoped use with enforceable safeguards.
// METHODOLOGY & SOURCES
Every core claim is citation-linked.
Source 1
Street-Level Surveillance and Automated License Plate ReadersElectronic Frontier Foundation · Ongoing resource
Source 2
You Are Being Tracked: How License Plate Readers Are Being Used to Record Americans' MovementsAmerican Civil Liberties Union · 2013
Source 3
Government Access to and Use of License Plate Reader DataU.S. Government Accountability Office · 2019
Source 4
Law Enforcement Use of License Plate Readers: Privacy and Civil Liberties ImplicationsCongressional Research Service · 2023
Source 5
Facial Recognition and Automated License Plate Readers: Policy Frameworks for AccountabilityBrennan Center for Justice · Ongoing resource
Source 6
Collection and Use of License Plate Reader Data by Law EnforcementNational Conference of State Legislatures · Ongoing resource