The FBI is seeking expanded authority to access the nationwide network of automated license plate readers in near real-time, raising significant privacy concerns. The proposal would allow federal agents to query ALPR databases tracking hundreds of millions of vehicle movements across the US without first obtaining a warrant.
Privacy advocates argue that ALPR data creates a detailed map of individuals’ movements, associations, and personal lives. ‘This is mass surveillance by another name,’ the ACLU said. The proposal is expected to face legal challenges under Fourth Amendment protections that already require warrants for long-term location tracking.
