License plate readers are being used by many governments and law enforcement agencies. But details about the data are secret.
Virginia's surveillance state is happening in secret, shielded from public view and exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. That's because the law governing their use allows law enforcement agencies to keep system data and audit trail data secret. That includes information about who is accessing the data and why.
"If you can't answer to the public, this is who's using it and why they're using it, it undermines public confidence," says Senator Danica Roem of Prince William County. "Especially at a time where you have very real concerns about mass surveillance and Big Tech in general, not to mention the fact that a lot of this stuff goes to data centers anyway."
Delegate Irene Shin of Fairfax County says the public needs to know who is using this data and the justification for their searches.
"With all of the reports that we've seen, not only about officers who are misusing access to this data to track their exes, to stalk their ex-girlfriends, to pursue women who are seeking reproductive care, like abortions, the fact that we can't even check to see who accessed this data and for what purpose seems insane to me," Shin says.
Senator Roem and Delegate Shin both say they would like to see members of the General Assembly allow for more transparency when they gavel into session in January.
