A shopping mall in Plattsburgh, New York, published a privacy policy for the plate readers at its four entrances and exits after months of public questions. The cameras went in around February.
Champlain Centre says the data shows which states, provinces and countries visitors travel from, and feeds leasing strategy. It says the cameras are privately funded, no taxpayer money is involved, and the data is not sold or licensed. Raw reads are kept up to 30 days.
Assemblyman Michael Cashman said the policy is a step toward transparency but not enough. He wants state legislation covering collection, retention, access and disclosure, and accountability that goes past a company’s own rules.
The policy also states the mall does not hand data to police voluntarily, though it may respond to a warrant or subpoena. That is a promise, not a law, and New York has no statute forcing the next operator to make it.
Crowdsourced mapping puts seven readers in the town, four at the mall. Retail surveillance now sits on the same roads as police networks, with fewer rules attached.
