Dec 17, 2025 22:00:00

In the US, a system to photograph license plates and monitor citizens' movements is being discussed.

The technology used to photograph and identify vehicle license plates is called 'ALPR,' and it's used in Japan for things like paying parking fees. However, the situation is a little different in the United States, where there's a movement to use ALPR to track citizens. The website 'alpr.watch' lists municipalities that are considering using ALPR to track citizens, giving a glimpse into the situation in the United States.

alpr.watch | alpr watch - Track Surveillance Tech in Local Government Meetings

https://alpr.watch/

Visit alpr.watch to see a map of the United States and red and white pins. Red pins indicate areas where ALPR discussions will be held in the future, while white pins indicate areas where discussions have taken place in the past.

alpr.watch monitors 2,184 Congresses across the United States and updates its map by checking whether the minutes contain words such as 'ALPR,' 'license plate reader,' or 'Flock Safety (ALPR equipment manufacturer).'

Clicking on a pin will reveal links to the region, topic, date, and minutes. For example, you can see that a related discussion is scheduled for December 18, 2025 in Wethersfield, Connecticut.

(PDF file) Checking

the agenda , Wethersfield council was scheduled to have a Harbor Control Committee meeting to discuss the purchase of license plate readers for the boat launch.

While the local governments discussing ALPRs aren't necessarily seeking to increase citizen surveillance, alpr.watch argues that 'history has shown that surveillance systems tend to expand beyond their original scope.' Specifically, the group worries that ALPRs installed in the name of solving crimes could be used to enforce illegal immigration, that temporary programs could become permanent, that data-sharing rules could expand, allowing more agencies to access tracking data, and that technological advances could lead to more invasive uses.