Drive through Fort Lauderdale, and you are almost certainly swept into South Florida’s hidden multi-million dollar surveillance network — your movements tracked, your privacy at risk — joining a national database of millions.
Driving through any major city in Miami-Dade or Broward raises your likelihood of having your personal data searched by law enforcement agencies without your consent and for any reason, a Miami Herald analysis found.
Once lauded as the future of crime-fighting, the proliferation of automated license plate readers has drawn criticism as privacy concerns mount. On Monday, the Florida Department of Transportation announced a landmark mandate to all local law enforcement: Take down your license plate readers on public roads that intersect with the state’s highway system in the next 30 days…