EFF – “Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) may be the most common mass surveillance technology in use by local law enforcement around the country—but they’re not always used in the same way.  Typically, ALPR systems are comprised of high-speed cameras connected to computers that photograph every license plate that passes. The photo is converted to letters and numbers, which are attached to a time and location stamp, then uploaded to a central server.  This allows police to identify and record the locations of vehicles in real time and also identify where those vehicles have been in the past. Using this information, police could establish driving patterns for individual cars. The type of data ALPRs collect, analyze, and access often depends on what kind of systems they use and how they combine the data.  Whether you’re a policymaker, journalist, or a citizen watchdog, it is important to note the specifics about how these technologies are used…”