BART will vote on a plan to install license plate readers at station parking lots Thursday, and though officials say it’s in an effort to keep stations safe, many say it could raise privacy concerns.
The board of directors will decide if they want to move forward with the plan, which has been brought up before.
Back in 2016, the board voted against a pilot program after critics raised concerns about the wide-scale surveillance.
However, in 2017, records revealed BART accidentally activated two cameras at Oakland’s MacArthur station that were part of the pilot program, collecting tens of thousands of license plate photos that were shared with the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center.
The center shares data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which created concern for immigration advocates.
As the program is re-introduced to the board for a vote, a new component may make a difference.
This time around, the new policy will only store plate information for 30 days unless it’s part of an ongoing criminal investigation. It will also place limits on where the data goes, including not sharing it with ICE or any agency conducing immigration enforcement or removal.
Costs of the program and when it would start have yet to be determined.
Source: NBC Bay Area
Be First to Comment