SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Los Angeles City Council is considering sending "Dear John" letters to the registrants of cars seen in an area of San Fernando described as having a "thriving street prostitution problem". The plan would use automated license plate readers to identify vehicles that stopped in the area. Council member Nury Martinez claims "If you aren't soliciting, you have no reason to worry about finding one of these letters in your mailbox. But if you are, these letters will discourage you from returning."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2015/12/01/the-age-of-pre-crime-has-arrived/
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
The Age of ‘Pre-Crime’ has Arrived
|
Log In/Create an Account
| Top
| 56 comments
| Search Discussion
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 02 2015, @05:38PM
They're shamed just because their car was spotted in an area with high rates of prostitution? That sounds unconstitutional.
BTW the council member's quote reminds me of Eric Schmidt defending Google's privacy invasion by saying something like "If this bothers you, maybe you're doing something you shouldn't be".
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 02 2015, @05:53PM
Forget shame letters. inb4 it becomes probable cause for a no knock raid.
(Score: 4, Funny) by davester666 on Wednesday December 02 2015, @07:30PM
So, if they do go through with doing it, go and doctor up letters for the mayor and every councilmember and send them to their homes. For every Friday and Saturday night.
(Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Wednesday December 02 2015, @10:37PM
Make sure their spouses get to the mailbox first as well.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday December 02 2015, @10:46PM
Address them to the spouses.....
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 02 2015, @11:34PM
That Eric Schmidt quote is often taken wildly out of context. Here is the full answer, given in response to a question about how much privacy google could provide:
If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place, but if you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search engines including Google do retain this information for some time, and it's important, for example that we are all subject in the United States to the Patriot Act. It is possible that that information could be made available to the authorities.
Remember that this is pre-Snowden and Schmidt was gagged. None the less he was warning that no company can protect your privacy in the face of the surveillance state, and Google was no exception. A soylent reader should have found nothing controversial about that statement even then.