License Plate Cameras Just Got a Terrifying Upgrade - THIS IS CONCERNING!

Those license plate cameras you see on highways, overpasses, street corners, buildings, literally everywhere. Well, they're not just reading your license plate tags anymore. A new system being sold to not just police departments, but literally every government agency are now tracking your phones, your smartwatches, your car infotainment screens, your pet trackers, anything riding inside your vehicle, including your AirPods, even those health devices that you wear on your wrist and on your fingers. Yes, they're tracking that information as well. Now, first let's talk about the cameras. They're called automatic license plate readers or ALPRs for short. They're also known as flock cameras. That's foc. And they may be the company's name, but they definitely see us as a flock of sheep. Police departments, toll authorities, and even some private companies have been using these types of cameras for years. They snap a picture of your license plate, plus your face, and log the time, the location, and then store that data in gigantic big databases. It started as a tool that claimed to be finding stolen cars or Amber Alerts. And that part makes sense. Everybody wants to find the stolen car. And if there's a child missing or a senior that's lost, we want to help them. That we all like and that makes sense. But the databases got huge. And now they have billions of scans and that data sticks around even though we were told otherwise. And sometimes it gets shared. Sometimes it gets used in ways that go way beyond catching criminals. And many times his data is sold to multiple companies from technology companies, health care companies, insurance companies, extended warranty companies, and even just whoever happens to be the highest bidder. Civil liberties groups have been raising the red flags about this for quite a while. So, how do these ALPRs and Flock cameras work? According to Flock, the cameras are activated by motion detection. six to 12 frames of video are captured from each interaction. And that's from its website. Flock cameras claim that no facial recognition technologies involved and that its cameras are not designed to search for people or scan faces or track individuals. Yet, that's a distinction without a difference. The Flock cameras can still keep tabs on your vehicle by license plate, but there's a good chance the owner will be in the same place. Now, ALPR cameras work using optical character recognition or OCR technology to capture images of vehicle license plates, convert the images to digital text, and then compare that data against databases of vehicles of interest. That's how it's supposed to work. They continuously monitor an area, often using infrared light to enhance the visibility and accuracy on various conditions. So, whether it's during the day, during the middle of a snowstorm, it's raining, it doesn't make a difference. These cameras get perfectly crystal clear pictures. An ALPR camera is not just an image device. It's a tightly integrated vision system combined with high-speed image capture controlling illumination and real-time data processing to reliably extract license plate data under realworld conditions. And let's be honest, it's not just the license plate. It's the color of your car, the bumper sticker, what's on your vehicle. Do you have a cargo container on top? Every single thing about that. And these cameras also tell who's driving the car, who's in the passenger seat, and anything else they can detect, including if you have a phone in your hand. All of this information is being used against you and being collected in a data center. Tech companies say the future of ALPR cameras are expected to integrate AIdriven analytics for real time crime response and multiple jurisdictional collaboration with features like vehicle signature search and enhanced data sharing controls to address privacy concerns. And the reason I'm having such sarcastic attitude is because we know the truth. They're going to use this to keep a fingerprint, a digital fingerprint on all of us. Now, there are new three and four-letter acronyms, and they're changing them to confuse people because we've all caught on to ALPR and flock. Automated license plate readers can also be called&prs or LPRs, and all of the government agencies are increasingly installing them to monitor the movement of people. Now, here's where it gets more serious. A defense contractor called Leonardo has been promoting something called Signal Trace. Signal Trace turns license plate reading cameras into advanced vehicle tracking technology. Signal Trace is a vehicle tracking technology that combines data from the ALPR cameras with signals transmitted by nearby electronic devices. Yes, that's all the devices I just mentioned. Even if you didn't give it permission to your Wi-Fi or your Bluetooth, all that data, it's being collected by these new systems. It's basically an add-on sensor that clips onto existing ALPR and flock cameras. Instead of just grabbing the plate number, it starts searching for wireless signals coming from inside or near the car. So, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, that kind of information. So, when you drive past one of these upgraded setups, and they're already out there, it can pick up the unique signature from your phone, your smartwatch, your Bluetooth headphones, or the infotainment system in your dashboard. any type of equipment with a signal. You can even grab signals from tire pressure monitoring systems or an air tag you left in the car. And yes, that means your pet's microchips and your fitness trackers are all being collected by these new trace cameras. The system then links all the device data to your license plate, tying it together in a nice little bow. The goal, according to their own materials, is to bridge the gap between the vehicle and the occupant. And in plain English, they want to know not just what car went by, but who was in it and what they're carrying, saying, and doing. Leonardo calls this your electronic fingerprint. Signal trace is not restricted to roadside camera installation. Leonardo documentation referenced by multiple publications suggests the technology can also be deployed into transportation hubs, parking structures, event venues, and other public locations where wireless devices are commonly present. This capability allows the system to gather electronic fingerprint information even when the license plate images are unavailable or when vehicles are not the primary focus of surveillance efforts. These cameras are acting as secret private investigators, not just for the police. They're gathering and coating data about your life. Whether you're part of an investigation target or not, just collecting that data. And this all touches two bigger points. First, who actually controls the data about where you go and what you carry with you. This may explain why all the data centers are being built so fast to store all that data. And second, now you know why I mention the Fourth Amendment on a regular basis because it's being violated. So, let's talk about what this really means for privacy and why it connects to something I've hammered on for years, connected car data rights. And this data collection violates your Fourth Amendment rights. And here's a quick refresher if you don't remember the language from the US Constitution. Quote, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly described the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized. It is central to privacy laws and governs how law enforcement may use surveillance and obtain warrants. Does this seem like your Fourth Amendment rights have been violated? I think so. That means that everything they're collecting in your car, all that data, all that information is illegal. Is anyone doing anything about this? Lawmakers are now pressing for tighter limits on connected car data after privacy advocates and drivers warned that modern vehicles collect location, speed, route history, braking patterns, voice commands, and everything inside the cabin, including driver monitoring, attention, occupancy sensing, and interior microphones used for hands-free features and more. And there is no way to opt out of this data collection. Even if you don't accept the data collection, there is no way to prove that it's not being collected. Your modern car is basically a rolling computer that collects even more than location data and driving habits or how hard you break and when you use your wiper blades, what you listen to on the radio or stream through your phone and a whole lot more. Newer vehicles have even more cameras, not just outside the car, but inside the car that monitor the driver and all the passengers through your rear view mirror. And I have covered this before. All that information gets sent back to the manufacturer through telematic systems. The same system that tells you to start your car through the remote control, help your mechanic diagnose your vehicle, or get roadside assistance. So, you think you're gaining all of these great services, but at what cost. So, here's the problem most drivers don't realize. They don't own or fully control that data. The manufacturer does. They decide who else gets to see it. Insurance companies, data brokers, government agencies, law enforcement through various agreements, and marketing companies get to use it, too. Those are all those text messages and phone calls you get that nobody likes, but we just keep getting them and can't seem to opt out of them. You might get some basic privacy settings in your car's menu, but they're limited. And when you sell or trade that car, a lot of that personal data can stay connected to the car unless you know exactly how to wipe it out. You can reset everything. We'll talk about that in a minute. All these cameras and data collection were secretly installed under the guise that it's all for your protection. The government passed the funding over many years in other bills so that you wouldn't notice because if it was obvious, you'd push back. Instead, that funding was buried inside the 2021 infrastructure bill that also hid funds for the kill switches, which we've discussed before. This is all about power and control, and you didn't even see it coming. Politicians say they can justify this power through a policy or an exception by telling you it's to protect the vulnerable. They're not protecting the vulnerable. They may think they are, but the true ulterior motive is data collection that limits your freedom. They can use this story to expand the scope. The funding for the cameras and the installation comes from your tax dollars. So, you are paying for the surveillance, the installation, and the collection of your data and everybody else's. and elected officials were given the power and they are using it to control every aspect of your life. But there is more to all this data collection. Massive data center buildouts and camera installations are creating jobs. True, but they are building digital infrastructures that are prisons of your freedom. What else are they using all this data for? Let's focus on just the automobiles. I've recently talked about the repair act and the other right to repair efforts plenty of times before and quite a lot recently and it seems to be the crux of so many issues these days. There is a growing push to give vehicle owners and independent shops real access to that data and the tools to use it. The idea is simple. It's your car. You should have the right to see, control, and even delete the data it generates about you. Some states already give you rights under laws like California's CCPA to know what's being collected and to ask what's being deleted, but federally, we're still playing catch-up, and manufacturers have pushed back hard. Now, let's layer in signal trace on top of that, and that's going to change literally everything. Not only is the manufacturer collecting data for your car, but external cameras on public roads can now grab signals from devices you bring in the car and tie them straight to your license plate. We just mentioned that. And it creates a much richer picture of your movements and associations, who you ride with, where you go regularly, what gadgets you carry. This is what is called classic pattern of life surveillance. Do it enough times and authorities or anyone who has access to your data can figure out your routines, your relationships. Even sensitive locations like a doctor's office or if you decide to attend a protest. And because it's passive, just picking up signals already in the air, it happens without you knowing and often without a warrant for every single scan. And the company says it's only capturing frequencies and identifiers and not the actual content of your calls or messages. Do you believe that? I don't believe that. I think they're collecting every bit of data, every message, every text, every phone call, literally everything they can. That's why those data centers are so huge. That might be technically true, but it doesn't change the fact that the end result is detailed tracking of you through your stuff. And once that data exists in a database, history shows it tends to get used more broadly over time. And all those data centers are being built for a reason. So what does that mean for regular people that just want to drive their car and not have the government ride with them? It means your expectation of privacy on public roads is shrinking fast. It means the data ecosystem around your car, what the manufacturer knows. Plus those surveillance systems can pick up literally everything. It's getting bigger and more connected. And it means we need stronger rules about who can collect this stuff, who's collecting this data, and how long they can keep it, and what they can do with it. I'm not saying that every police department or government agency is going to abuse this tomorrow. But once the capability exists, and the cameras are already up, the temptation to use it for more than just a stolen car is real, and we've seen it in other surveillance tools. This is what you can do right now. First, get familiar with your car's privacy and data centers. Many vehicles let you turn off certain data sharing and location tracking. Do it. It's not perfect, but it helps. Second, be mindful of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when you're not actively using them. Turn them off on your phone and in your car. Those signals are exactly what systems like this are designed to grab. And third, if you use Air Tags or pet trackers, I'm not telling you to stop using them, but know that they can be detected, and that's convenient when you lose something, and less convenient when somebody else is mapping your movements. Fourth, when you sell or trade your car, take the time to factory reset and remove all the paired devices. And that goes true for rental cars as well. A lot of people skip this and leave their personal data behind. You are giving someone else access to your data. It just takes seconds to clear it out. Fifth, and this is the bigger picture, support real right to repair and data privacy legislation. Laws give you ownership and control of the data your car generates. The Repair Act and similar efforts are trying to do exactly that. Make your voice heard with your local representatives. These issues don't get fixed by accident. Six, there are groups fighting back against these cameras. Check out the Freedom Society of the Republics. I'll put that down in the description as well as pin it to the top of the comments. There are investigating the relationship between connected vehicle systems, vehicle generated data, telematics, and government access through third parties. Stay informed as these new technologies don't announce themselves with big press conferences. They show up in police budgets and in vendor contracts, places nobody notices as they get slid through and all the legal ease and all the politicians just ignore it. And that's why I bring it to you. The bottom line is your car is supposed to work for you, not the other way around. And when new surveillance tools start linking your license plate to every gadget you own, it's worth paying attention and pushing back where it goes too far. I'll keep watching this space and giving you updates on what's going on, as well as new equipment and new devices that come out that no one seems to be talking about. And I'll also let you know about the winds as well. And finally, if you're wondering where all these cameras are, you'll be shocked. Check out websites like dflock.org and open-source project mapping license plate readers or eyes onflock.com on aggregating flock safety transparency portal data. And I'll put all this down below in the comments. and have I been flocked.com where you can enter your license plate number to find out more. What do you think? Have you seen more cameras in your area? Drop a comment down below because I'm sure you've got something to say. If you like this video, give it a like and subscribe for more videos like this. And check out our car review channel, Car Smarts. You can support me by buying me a cup of coffee. And if you want even more content, check out the links in the description. I'm Lauren Fix. Thank you so much for watching.