License plate recognition cameras are "massive privacy violation": Privacy First

The Privacy First Foundation began summary proceedings against the state due to the Automatic Plate Number Recognition system (ANRP) which the interest group called a “massive privacy violation”.

The system stores the license plates of millions of cars in the Netherlands for four weeks in the central police database for investigation and prosecution. “This is not necessary at all, completely disproportionate and, moreover, ineffective,” Privacy First said referring to a report by the Scientific Research and Documentation Center (WODC), the knowledge institute for the Ministry of Justice.

The ANPR would be in conflict with the European privacy law.

“If necessary, after these summary proceedings a broader substantive procedure will follow. After all, the ANPR constitutes a massive violation of privacy and simply does not belong in a free democratic constitutional state,” Privacy First said.

The summary proceedings will be submitted to the District Court of The Hague on November 10.

License plates that are not on the list of wanted license plates will be removed immediately, according to the police, unless the information is needed for a longer period of time.

The Public Prosecution Service must give permission for the prolonged storage of the data. “Information about want license plates for the detection of suspects who committed a serious offense can be stored for a maximum of 28 days,” the police wrote on their website.

In August, it was announced that the police also wanted to use recognizable photos of drivers and passengers from the ANPR cameras to track down suspects of serious crimes.