Originally Posted by
FBinNY
I don't have a problem with agencies gathering data by camera and LP scanners. The question is how they use it and how long they keep the data. If it's stored in raw form, to be searched later as part of an investigation, then keeping it for a week or month seems reasonable, but not any longer. OTOH, if they mine and/or collate the data by license plate or whatever, then I'd insist on a legitimate government purpose, or that all such files are destroyed within 24hours, except if there's a live criminal investigation.
The problem isn't as much that the police will misuse the date, they have enough to do. But the existence of this data means it's open to mining by third parties, or could be obtained by subpoena for use in things like divorce.
In any case, with greater ability to gather and save all manner of data, we've reached (or passed) the point where we need a national dialog to establish policies protecting privacy at all levels.
This is the most sensible post I have read here. We need to update privacy rules in order to prevent abuses, not act like crazy people with lasers on our bike helmets to foil shoplifting prevention cameras.
The public is clearly demanding closer surveillance in response to isolated terrorist attacks on our soil. Everybody who attended the Boston Marathon was under intense scrutiny, whether aware of it or not. The spying technology on an ordinary city street was impressive. The bombing was not prevented, but the alleged bombers were apprehended very quickly. I haven't heard much protest against the use of unauthorized surveillance in that case.
Also, public opinion seems to be running 100 to one against Snowden. Most people seem to regard him as a traitor rather than a hero, and this is certainly encouraging to national security agents who are massively spying on us.
I agree with you that we need a national dialog on the pros and cons of universal surveillance. Unfortunately, the consensus seems to be that we already had that conversation, and it ended on September 12, 2001.