Police misuse ALPR data with frivolous reasons, EFF finds

What happened

EFF analysis of Flock Safety ALPR logs shows officers across the United States entering nonsensical reasons such as "LOL", "LMAO" and "idk" to access vehicle location data. The lack of warrant requirements and weak audit controls enables widespread, unchecked surveillance of citizens. Some agencies are now adopting dropdown menus to limit free‑text entries, but the practice highlights serious privacy and oversight gaps.

Why it matters for trust and compliance

• Its status is announced. It is not law yet. Track it, but do not treat it as an obligation.
• The report reveals pervasive, undocumented ALPR searches that threaten privacy and civil liberties.

Who is affected

Recommended actions

1. Check that privacy notices describe the practices this addresses.
2. Map the security requirements to existing controls and close gaps.
3. Inventory AI or automated decision systems in scope and their assessments.