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ICE License-Plate Tracking Plan Withdrawn Amid Outcry About Privacy

An anonymous reader writes "Homeland security officials on Wednesday abruptly shelved a proposal to build a national database of license-plate scans after criticism from privacy advocates. The proposal, which had been posted online last week by the office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, sought a contractor who could establish a searchable database of license plates, with the times and locations where they were spotted by traffic cameras and other sources. But in a statement late Wednesday, the department announced a reversal. 'The solicitation, which was posted without the awareness of ICE leadership, has been canceled,' said spokeswoman Gillian Christensen. 'While we continue to support a range of technologies to help meet our law enforcement mission, this solicitation will be reviewed to ensure the path forward appropriately meets our operational needs.'"

8 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Withdrawn by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah right, withdrawn. To be resubmitted covertly as something else, hopefully covered by "national security". Go on, celebrate your "victory".

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    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  2. Re:Driving is a privelege, not a right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Driving may be a priveledge. Privacy is a right.

    The former can be used to infringe upon the latter.

  3. Re:Driving is a privelege, not a right. by dandaman32 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Actually, driving is neither a privelege nor a priveledge. It's a privilege.

  4. Lessons of trust by Wowsers · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If one thing the Edward Snowden releases have shown, is if the authorities are telling you they plan to do something, they are probably already doing it.

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    Take Nobody's Word For It.
  5. Re: Driving is a privelege, not a right. by ebno-10db · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It doesn't bother you because you're only aware of it in an abstract sense. I've got a proposal. Let the government track people all they want, as long as they periodically send people the government's records of where they've been. You'd soon see outrage of historic proportions.

  6. Re:Driving is a privelege, not a right. by CanHasDIY · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The false equivalence between tracking someone's location while they are in public and illegal search and seizure makes your comment hardly worth replying to.

    It's not false equivalence, it's perfectly in line with the SCOTUS ruling that "tracking someone's location" constitutes a search.

    Are you suggesting that when you are in a public park, being filmed by security cameras is a violation of your 4th amendment rights?

    Now, you want to talk about false equivalence...

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    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  7. Re:Duh - Not Private by CanHasDIY · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So just what element is private about a plate openly displayed in public

    What's private is the history of where that plate has been - tracking a person's car without a warrant is illegal, per the SCOTUS.

    Shit, man, in these days of parallel construction it amazes me I have to respond to questions like this...

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    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  8. An alternate suggestion, much cheaper to implement by cayenne8 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    You know, if ICE is wanting to track or apprehend illegal aliens in the US, they could save the money on such a widespread and expensive system...and just send agents to watch in front of the various Home Depots and Lowe's stores, and grab all the illegals there every morning lookng for cash day jobs.

    They are easy to spot for goodness sake, no need for tracking license plates.

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    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........