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Tennessee lawmakers consider regulating LPRs over data privacy concerns

Yahoo · · International · Privacy Law

Tennessee legislators are weighing new rules on license plate readers amid concerns about how the data they collect is stored, shared, and used. The debate reflects broader tension between law enforcement utility and the privacy of people whose movements are passively recorded.

Why this matters: License plate readers do not just catch stolen cars. They log where your car was, when, and how often — building a movement history you never consented to. That data often sits with private companies, gets shared across agencies, and has no standard limit on how long it is kept. Tennessee is not the first state to look at this, but most places still have no real rules. Without them, a drive to a clinic, a protest, or a lawyer's office is quietly on the record.

Who should care: Lawyers · Compliance · General readers · Privacy officers · Policy

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