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Cops Gone Wild: How One California City is Playing Fast and Loose with Your License Plate Data

The door of an American police car. It has the symbol of Los Angeles and the line "to protect and to serve" on the side. Shot on film.

Photo by Nick Page on Unsplash

Privacy just took another hit in the digital age, and Silicon Valley should be seriously concerned. 🚨

The Data Drama Unfolding

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is dropping legal hammers on El Cajon, a city that’s been sharing automated license plate reader (ALPR) data like it’s a viral TikTok challenge. The lawsuit alleges the city has been sending sensitive surveillance information to law enforcement agencies across more than two dozen states - and trust us, that’s not as cool as it sounds.

Why This Matters

In an era where personal data is more valuable than crypto, El Cajon’s been playing fast and loose with residents’ location information. The real kicker? This data could potentially be used to track immigrants, target reproductive health seekers, and expose vulnerable populations to serious legal risks.

The Bigger Picture

While El Cajon’s mayor claims they’re just doing “legitimate law enforcement” work, privacy advocates are calling major BS. With states like Texas and Florida on the receiving end of this data, the potential for misuse is astronomical. California law explicitly prohibits sharing this information outside state lines, but apparently, El Cajon didn’t get the memo.

Bottom line: Your movements, your privacy, your rules. And right now, those rules are looking pretty shaky.

AUTHOR: mei

SOURCE: CalMatters