A powerful new analysis by Andrew P. Wheeler, currently trending on Hacker News (342 points, 445 comments), argues that license plate reader (LPR) searches should require a warrant — and the data behind the argument is more compelling than you might expect.
The Scale of License Plate Reader Surveillance
License plate readers have become ubiquitous in American law enforcement. Mounted on police cars, fixed at intersections, and stationed at highway on-ramps, these cameras capture millions of plate reads per day. Each read includes:
The plate number
The GPS location
