“We can tell who’s coming and going 24/7. Some people might have an issue with that,” Shontell said. “I tend to think personally that what you might give up in terms of privacy is overshadowed by what you gain: possibly having some real evidence to give the police.”

– Robert Shontell on his neighborhood’s private license plate camera system, Sam Dean for the LA Times

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Commentary:

The economics are fascinating: giving up a known quality (privacy) for a low-likelihood hypothetical (possible evidence).

Also, this is not discussed in the article and likely never crossed most residents’ or readers’ minds — this is a way that discrimination, racism or economic, polices itself. This is, to go all Godwin, a tool of facism because it is a tool of control. Tools exist towards an end and from a reason. Here fear is the reason; break-ins over a period of time, a threat to territory and property and the idea of safety. Importantly, break-ins do not involve personal threats or harm, that’s a different crime. To curtail a threat to property they seek to limit others’ personal freedom. Notice that residents can request that “footage of their cars not be logged to the system.” Fear of the other, the outsider, the stranger. Also, a huge security hole and absolution for crimes committed by residents to other residents.

Fascinating and chilling.