MapQuest App Shows You Where License Plate Readers Are in Your Area

MapQuest, once a lesser-known navigation app, has unveiled a new feature this week allowing users to locate license plate readers in their vicinity. The app now displays Flock cameras and those from various companies, such as Motorola Solutions, Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon, Leonardo, Neology, Rekor, PlateSmart, Ubicquia, and Verkada.

To access this feature, users simply need to open the MapQuest app, tap the Layers icon, and enable the Surveillance option. Tiny eyeballs then appear on the map, indicating the locations of license plate readers. By clicking on one of these eyeballs, users can learn more about the reader's type, such as dome or fixed, and its exact coordinates.

While MapQuest's relevance has surged recently, the company is not the first to reveal the locations of license plate readers. Other apps like DeFlock, FlockHopper, Pelican, and LPR Maps also provide this information, often through crowdsourcing.

License plate readers have been in use for decades, with over 140,000 installed across the US. These devices capture a car's license plate, make, model, color, and location. However, they have gained significant attention due to concerns over privacy and potential misuse. Flock cameras, in particular, have been linked to stalking ex-spouses, wrongful stops, and vehicle repossessions.

Civil liberties groups worry that the data collected can create a pervasive surveillance network that tracks everyone, not just suspected criminals.

Despite these concerns, the new MapQuest feature allows users to gain insights into their surroundings, identifying the presence of license plate readers and their specific types. Unfortunately, the app does not disclose the names of the companies owning these readers, but it still provides valuable information about the locations of these devices.