DutchNews.nl - Police break privacy rules on number plates

Police break privacy rules on number plates

Thursday 28 January 2010

Several police forces are breaking privacy laws by keeping lists of car number plates using certain roads for longer than permitted, the Dutch privacy watchdog CBP said on Thursday.

Police are allowed to use automatic recognition systems to spot car number plates which match people with criminal connections. But they are supposed to destroy details of the rest. However, the police in both the Rotterdam and IJsselland regions keep a list of all cars using certain roads for up to three months, the watchdog said.

'This means every driver is being treated as a possible suspect,' the CBP's acting chairwoman Jannette Beuving told news agency ANP.

Police records

'A large number of ordinary citizens are being placed in police records even though they have done nothing wrong... this is a major infringement of privacy and of the rights of ordinary people.'

In total, 23 out of 26 police forces use an automatic number plate registration system. Rotterdam, for example, records the number plate of every car using five roads on the outskirts of the city. IJsselland records every car using the A28 and A50 near Zwolle.

One of the main objections to the government's plans to introduce a kilometer tax on motoring is the privacy aspect. The government has assured opponents of the tax that the GPS monitoring system will only register the distance, not when and where cars had traveled.

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Readers' comments

'A large number of ordinary citizens are being placed in police records even though they have done nothing wrong...'
...and sold to the highest bidder after being profiled against a database :)

By none | January 28, 2010 1:41 PM

Oops, it was an accident, uh, we forgot, uhh we didn´t mean to.... hahaha

By sandra | January 28, 2010 1:45 PM

The government in Holland already taps more phones than any other country, record private conversations between lawyers and defendants, monitor e-mail, and now this!

I totally do not trust any government, let alone one with such a bad track record. We definitely should not allow them even more intrusion of our privacy and rights with the kilometer tax!

By Quest | January 28, 2010 1:58 PM

And now the government also wants to track us using gps systems in our cars.

I suppose the idea of privacy is totally gone now.

By B | January 28, 2010 2:22 PM

And 'why' are we opposed to the kilometer tax system? Let me count the ways - keeping car number plates, recording phone calls, etc.

We do not trust you, Mr Government.

By bobsocks | January 28, 2010 2:29 PM

If people have nothing to hide why should they care?

By Jan | January 28, 2010 3:57 PM

Being basically rather honest, I don't really care if the government knows where I go. There is always the chance that my movments might bore them to death.

By Jamie Anderson | January 28, 2010 4:00 PM

And, and , and ... The selfsame Government that also wants smart watermetres to be installed in private houses so that can be concluded when and at what times people are in their own houses. But of course all this is after "1984"!

By Me | January 28, 2010 4:26 PM

.... keeping lists of car number plates using certain roads for longer than permitted,....
....keep a list of all cars using certain roads for up to three months.

I never heard of this. For how long are these drivers allowed to use the roads?

By KenM | January 29, 2010 4:56 AM

"If people have nothing to hide why should they care?"

There is always an uneducated person who manages to say this when you can comment on an article regarding privacy.

I have something to hide, my privacy!

I guess you will understand when people are put in jail for watching the TV series Dexter, as they can not be right in the head if they like that type of entertainment.

There will always be someone who will find something wrong with what you do at home, what you read, what you listen to, what you watch and so on in ad nauseam.
This is why we need to safe-guard what little we got left of our privacy.

By xen | January 29, 2010 6:55 AM

Perhaps the reason that I'm not worried about the government watching me is because I''m not paranoid.

By Jamie Anderson | January 29, 2010 2:42 PM

@Jamie: Good for you! If you are not paranoid I guess you do not mind giving me your home address, all your phone numbers, your DOB, your SOFI number, your income and so on? Because you have nothing to hide right? You are not paranoid, right? No one will ever be able or willing to use that information against you? It will never fall into the wrong hands?

I think you are confusing paranoia with rather being safe then sorry.

Jeremy Clarkson learned it the hard way that there is always someone out there that is not always that nice and that privacy is important!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7174760.stm
Enjoy your read.

And one more thing, can I get your bank details? Your Visa and/or Master card details with valid until date and CCV number? You trust me right? Nothing to hide, right?

By xen | January 30, 2010 6:43 AM

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