To: The Rhode Island State House, The Rhode Island State Senate, and Governor Gina Raimondo
When gov't watches everyone drive, don't sell info
When the government gets cameras installed on the roads to watch drivers' license plates and see who's traveling where, that information shouldn't be sold. A Rhode Island bill nearing final approval, H5531, sets up a network of cameras to watch all the cars on the road and check for uninsured drivers. To prevent abuse, companies involved in running this camera system shouldn't be allowed to sell or misuse the info about who's driving where. Police shouldn't be able to use these cameras to figure out where law-abiding people are driving unless it's an emergency or they have a warrant.
Why is this important?
This bill is designed to make a deal with a company that will set up cameras throughout the state to check license plates and find out-of-state drivers who lack insurance or registration. When these drivers are caught and have to pay fines, the company will keep half the money. But since these cameras see the license plates of everyone who drives, companies that process this data can figure out who's driving where and sell that information. The bill doesn't do anything to stop these companies from selling or misusing the information, and it should. When the government decides to have a camera system set up like this, the law should say clearly that it's not okay to abuse the system.