San Jose’s License Plate Reader Policy: A Half Measure That Fails to Protect Privacy or Security

San Jose’s recent decision to tighten restrictions on its automated license plate reader (ALPR) program is a textbook example of government responding to public pressure without decisively addressing the core issues at stake. While city officials trumpet modest reforms like shortening data retention from one year to just 30 days and banning camera placement near sensitive locations, the reality is these measures barely scratch the surface of safeguarding residents’ constitutional rights against invasive surveillance. Have We Sacrificed Freedom for False Security? It’s no secret that America is at a crossroads where citizen privacy clashes with expanded law enforcement tools. San...