What is your position on flock cameras and other automatic liscene plate reader…

No flock cameras or automatic readers should be allowed unless for very specific circumstances and uses.

When addressing this question, many will consider some of the responses as "fear mongering". So, keep this in mind when discussing motivations behind flock cameras.

But they will come. Governments usually cite "public safety, inclusiveness, improved traffic control" as the reasons.

The positives:

Better control of traffic flows (if your vehicle can be redirected to another artery...consider this in the future with self driving cars)

Immediate identification of criminals, expired plates, stolen plates, delinquent payments of your fines, speeding (the time required to register a plate between 2 flock cameras along a road with a maximum speed).

The negatives:

With digital currency, having a penalty removed from your account if caught speeding (look at the previous example) can be instant, with the penalty of proving innocence placed on your shoulders, compared to physically challenging a ticket in court. Parking can be handled similarly.

Does the government have the right to monitor your every move?

Flock cameras and license plate readers can be used to control traffic flow in that authorities can more easily control individual movement. The response will be "are you a criminal? Then why worry?". However, if you are a conscientious objector to any government policy, these controls can easily be applied to restrict or monitor movement.

In the Chinese model, traffic cameras and facial recognition are used to monitor and regulate an individuals travel rights. But we are in Canada, not China.

Speed cameras in school districts are reasonable. Flock cameras or plate readers, if used to monitor flow or deduct subscription fees or calculate usage (like the 407) are reasonable. There should be no other links allowed to your financial services.

I'm not a fan of flock cameras or automatic license plate readers.

Although I am hesitant about everyday, law abiding citizens being filmed, I do see some merit to public video cameras if used appropriately. I support the use of technology that can help police and improve community safety, but there needs to be very clear limits on how that technology is used.

Automatic licence plate readers are already used by the OPP. If New Tecumseth were considering additional fixed cameras I would want to understand exactly what information is being collected, how long it is retained, where it is stored, who can access it (and under what circumstances) and how it can be searched or shared.

For me, public safety and personal privacy both matter.

Simple, if I had a 6yr old go missing I'd want this available.

My privacy is valuable to me. Living in a police state is not what I want for my children.

Cybersecurity is a constant issue and I don't have confidence in anything online being impenetrable. As such I do not consent to mass surveillance.

Law enforcement have other options and tools to help them. If needed I would prefer to direct the resources to creating a social environment where we the people can look out for each other's interests and support the police by choice.