Are you onboard for this?

[Boyd]

they laughed and told her they know me because my name frequently pops up on their license plate readers.

Apparently, it's even worse than that. Turns out, license plate readers are just cameras with software that recognizes text (like the numbers on your plate) and they create huge, searchable databases for the companies that sell/lease them. A lot of them are mounted on police cars now, hoovering up whatever they see. And that's not just license plates. They also scan your bumper stickers and any signs or other roadside items in their field of view. It all goes into the database, along with the location and time.

Seems like the possibilites for abuse are endless. Here's a good idea! Let's require everyone to buy a permit to drive on unpaved roads. It could be a big sticker to put on your bumper. Then it's simple to scatter license plate readers around the state forests. No need to hire more park police - or anybody else - it can all be outsourced. No permit? It automatically issues a ticket (they already have your plate number). Also creates a big database of everybody who drives on that road, for the next time they find a body in a refrigerator and need some suspects.

Actually, that's nowhere near as scary as some of the other things this technology might be used for...

License Plate Readers Are Creating a US-Wide Database of More Than Just Cars

From Trump campaign signs to Planned Parenthood bumper stickers, license plate readers around the US are creating searchable databases that reveal Americans’ political leanings and more.

www.wired.com

 

[RJG]

Let's clear this up for people who aren't very familiar with Garmin devices. It's true that they can track everywhere you go and that's how they are configured "out of the box". But you can (and should, IMO) turn all that off. I don't use Garmin devices anymore but have owned a LOT. Was also a moderator at GPSReview.net for many years and currently the only moderator at gpsfiledepot.com.

These are the menus from my Garmin DriveTrack 71, an expensive automotive device I got 7 or 8 years ago. Menus should be similar on other models and I'd be very surprised if you couldn't turn off track recording. That option is probably mandatory in other countries with strict privacy laws.

Press the settings button and choose Device

View attachment 24118


You should get a screen similar to this

View attachment 24119



I think turning off Device Data Reporting is a no-brainer, unless you want to help Garmin acheive some higher purpose.

View attachment 24120



But Travel History is what we're talking about here. I always turn it off, but as the screen says, that will affect some features. Some people like seeing where they've been, which is fine. But those people shouldn't complain about how the GPS invades their privacy.

View attachment 24121

FWIW, myTrends is a feature they introduced back around 2010(?) which suggests routes based on where you usually go. It was a total disaster in my experience, but maybe it's improved? With it turned on, about 10 minutes into my morning commute it would ask if I wanted to go home.

Thank you. I’m going to give that a try on my Garmin.

 

[RJG]

Apparently, it's even worse than that. Turns out, license plate readers are just cameras with software that recognizes text (like the numbers on your plate) and they create huge, searchable databases for the companies that sell/lease them. A lot of them are mounted on police cars now, hoovering up whatever they see. And that's not just license plates. They also scan your bumper stickers and any signs or other roadside items in their field of view. It all goes into the database, along with the location and time.

Seems like the possibilites for abuse are endless. Here's a good idea! Let's require everyone to buy a permit to drive on unpaved roads. It could be a big sticker to put on your bumper. Then it's simple to scatter license plate readers around the state forests. No need to hire more park police - or anybody else - it can all be outsourced. No permit? It automatically issues a ticket (they already have your plate number). Also creates a big database of everybody who drives on that road, for the next time they find a body in a refrigerator and need some suspects.

Actually, that's nowhere near as scary as some of the other things this technology might be used for...

License Plate Readers Are Creating a US-Wide Database of More Than Just Cars

From Trump campaign signs to Planned Parenthood bumper stickers, license plate readers around the US are creating searchable databases that reveal Americans’ political leanings and more.

www.wired.com

I know somebody in Maryland who got a red light camera ticket. He went to court and told the judge that he wasn’t driving the car. He said everybody in his family uses that car and nobody can recall who was driving it the day it was recorded running a red light. The judge asked the prosecutor if he could prove who was driving the car. When the prosecutor said no, the judge dismissed the ticket.

 

[stiltzkin]

You may find this interesting. It is a crowdsourced dataset of stationary mounted ALPRs all over the world: https://deflock.me/

Besides the chilling implications for privacy, the security on these systems is atrocious. Some of them have been publicly accessible with no authentication, allowing anyone to watch or process live video from them.