License Plate Data Sharing Prompts Suit Against California City

A San Diego area city is unlawfully sharing license plate data collected by technology company Flock Safety with police in at least 26 other states, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said in a Friday lawsuit.

California law bars public agencies from selling or sharing, “except to another public agency, and only as otherwise permitted by law,” automated license plate reader data that police have embraced and privacy advocates have decried for its ability to track residents in their daily lives.

The carve-out doesn’t include out-of-state and federal law enforcement, “where the data’s use is beyond the reach of California’s ...