Although unarticulated, there seems to be a growing consensus within certain circles that every societal problem, no matter how minor, could be solved if only the American people had less anonymity.One of the most obvious examples is law enforcement’s widespread adoption of automatic license plate readers, a type of surveillance system that tracks individuals via their vehicle’s license plate. Often, the initial pitch is that the devices can help investigate serious crimes such as murders, armed robberies, and kidnappings. But then, at some point, they’re defended on the grounds that they help recover stolen vehicles a little faster. And the next thing anyone knows, they’re being used for residency checks and to look into noise complaints.Similarly, major retail chains are getting their own ALPRs and continuing to expand their implementation of facial recognition, claiming the devices help cut down on retail theft. In June, for example, Lowe’s made the news when a North Carolina media outlet reported that the home improvement chain not only uses ALPRs but shares data collected at stores in that state, as well as South Carolina and Virginia, with North Carolina law enforcement. The following month, Grocery Outlet, a California grocery chain, gained media attention for its use of facial recognition.