AI is positively everywhere these days. On our social media, in our stores... and now, according to the New York Post, it's coming to our parking lots, too.
This comes after a class action lawsuit was filed by consumers in California. Home Depot was named, saying they were using AI powered license plate recognition cameras. The lawsuit added that this information was fed into a law enforcement database.
License plate recognition technology is not a new thing - it's been used in parking lots for years now. But, the fact it's being ramped up all of a sudden in these department stores is causing worry among consumers and privacy researchers alike. These systems can be used over time to make a "footprint" of where a person has been.
And both Lowe's and Home Depot seem to be adding the AI powered systems nationwide. But they're wanting to be quiet about things.
And it's already having tangible results. A Texas sheriff's office already had access to the data - they could search through it and collate information. They were using a surveillance firm, Flock Safety, to access the data.
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Lawyers Have Said the AI Powered Cameras Are "Probably Legal"
But, things aren't as clear cut as they seem. The average person might think it's pretty clear cut - how is it legal? But, Robert McWhirter, a constitutional historian and criminal defense lawyer, explained that these AI cams are "probably legal".
"The key issue is the relationship with law enforcement and what these companies do with the data in their relationship with law enforcement," he explained. He added that this doesn't seem too different from what they're already doing.
He said that retailers nationwide are already pretty reliant on surveillance cameras and AI alike. They currently mostly use it to track shoplifters. "If they have somebody on camera enough times, they will then call law enforcement and bring them in."
But, the main crux of their usage being legal comes down to something few can argue with - private property laws. "[Companies] have the right to do whatever they want to do on their private property." But, he did add that the use of these AI cameras in discriminatory ways could cause legal issues.
