The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) have filed a lawsuit against the city of San Jose, California, over its deployment of Flock’s license plate recognition (ALPR) cameras. The legal action contends that the city’s nearly 500 ALPR devices create an extensive surveillance network that infringes on residents’ privacy and may violate state constitutional protections. The lawsuit is being brought on behalf of the Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network and Council on American-Islamic Relations, California, which argue that the surveillance system lacks appropriate legal safeguards.
The suit seeks to compel the police department to obtain a warrant before accessing the ALPR data. This requirement is part of a broader effort to limit the scope of government surveillance and ensure that individuals have legal protections when their movements are monitored. The case is significant in the context of increasing concerns over privacy in the digital age, as similar lawsuits have been filed in other cities, including Norfolk, Virginia, where a similar action seeks to shut down Flock’s network entirely.
ACLU and EFF lawyers emphasize the unique nature of San Jose’s ALPR program. They argue that while many California law enforcement agencies use ALPR technology, San Jose’s retention of driver location data for an entire year sets it apart in terms of invasiveness. The city’s dense network of cameras, which covers the majority of its roads, raises significant concerns about how citizens’ personal information is collected, stored, and potentially used by the government.
The legal battle highlights the growing tension between law enforcement capabilities and individual privacy rights. As cities continue to expand their surveillance systems, cases like this one will likely shape the legal frameworks governing how these technologies are used. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for how law enforcement agencies handle data collection and the balance between public safety and civil liberties in the digital age.