Column: Big Brother is watching on Eastern Shore roads

By Linda Cicoira

      Many decades ago, my mother was talking to a friend on the telephone, a landline, of course, when the other woman mentioned that putting a five-pound bag of sugar on top of one’s electric meter would slow down the dial, thereby lowering the power bill. 

     They laughed about it and joked that they would have to try it. A few minutes later, after the call ended, Mom looked out the window and noticed a man was in the yard. She realized he was a meter reader. 

     Those were the days when the customer read his or her own meter and mailed in a card with the numbers so the bill could be calculated. After that, Mom was sure her phone was tapped. By the way, she never tried using the sugar.

     That old story returned to my thoughts this week when I learned about Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs or LPRs). They are AI-powered cameras that capture and analyze images from all passing vehicles. The cameras store your car’s location, date, and time, the vehicle’s make, model, color, and identifying features such as dents, roof racks, and bumper stickers, often turning the information into searchable data points.       

     Visit the website maps.deflock.org and see for yourself.

     It shows 108,331 cameras that are set up across the nation. Nearly 70 of those are on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Yes, BIG BROTHER, the supreme omnipresent dictator from George Orwell’s novel, “1984,” is watching.

     These cameras can collect data on millions of vehicles. The driver or passengers don’t have to be suspected of anything illegal. The systems are marketed as indispensable tools to fight crime. And no warrant is required. 

     The site also has a route maker that lets one detour for a more private ride. 

It also shows our two counties are in a high zone for surveillance per mile and an even higher zone per capita.

     The police departments that utilize the information include both the Accomack and Northampton sheriffs’ offices and the Chincoteague and Exmore police departments, according to the website. Those of you with an interest can delve deeper into the website.

     I looked up my license plate and noticed three hits. No Yippee here.