The only horrors we want this weekend are on movie screens. It should scare all of us that the daily routines of all Washingtonians β no matter where we live or what we look like β can be captured by automated license plate readers and turned over to the federal government.
Let us explain: Washington currently has no statewide safeguards or limits on how law enforcement uses cameras like these.
That means police in areas with this technology β like Arlington and Yakima, for example β can find out where and when we drive our cars, keep that information for however long they want, and share it with anyone β without any restrictions.
We all deserve to move around our communities without being tracked. Automated license plate readers put that freedom at risk.
Itβs time for common sense regulations.