Is there an official policy of posting vehicle images with license plates visible?

[Slow Car Sport Mode]

Huh? So you think online pics of your plate are why the police did this things?

What do you mean you have been followed around and heckled across the internet?

No, I was saying my plate had nothing to do with that.

I'd have to get into a lot of crazy stuff but. I've had online stalkers for a long time. Simple as that. They went away, eventually, worked itself out. But, again... it wasn't to do with me posting my plates online.

 

[jurko]

Random car?

Maybe.

Your car, posted on BITOG, and it’s one more element of personally identifiable information. Look up that plate, get your full name and address.

That is something folks might not want disclosed.

Impossible at least here in NV.

 

[alarmguy]

I block out plates whenever possible, I think it's only right.
You're submitting someones information for discussion in a public forum in which they are unaware and/or unable to defend themselves.
Even in forums there are unstable individuals who may use that information. I just dont see the need.

 

[Astro14]

Impossible at least here in NV.

Really? Impossible? The DMV doesn't have your address, or a record of your car?

It may not be legally, or easily, available for a private citizen, but that doesn't make it "impossible".

Here in Colorado - you can, as long as you give them reason, or use a service that provides that information.

Colorado License Plate Lookup | StateRecords.org

Colorado license plates are vehicle registration plates issued by the state Department of Motor Vehicle. Learn the features of Colorado license plates, how to get license plates in Colorado, and how to use license plates to obtain information about a vehicle and its owner in Colorado; Plus, the...

colorado.staterecords.org

 

[Astro14]

No private individual can do that for the last 20 years or more.

Just need a DPPA reason and then I can sign up.

MDOT MVA Driver and Vehicle Record Access Information

egov.maryland.gov

So, private investigator, online search company, whatever, there are lots of folks who have access to your records and are willing to sell them. It would be easy to take the license plate that you have posted, MD 2A38675, by the way, and find out your name and address.

If you think that no private individual can do that, or find you, you're mistaken.

 

[jurko]

Really? Impossible? The DMV doesn't have your address, or a record of your car?

It may not be legally, or easily, available for a private citizen, but that doesn't make it "impossible".

Here in Colorado - you can, as long as you give them reason, or use a service that provides that information.

Colorado License Plate Lookup | StateRecords.org

Colorado license plates are vehicle registration plates issued by the state Department of Motor Vehicle. Learn the features of Colorado license plates, how to get license plates in Colorado, and how to use license plates to obtain information about a vehicle and its owner in Colorado; Plus, the...

colorado.staterecords.org

Of course DMV has my address.
But it is impossible to obtain this info by private citizen here in NV. How do I know?
Long story I don't want to go into.

 

[Pablo]

Just need a DPPA reason and then I can sign up.

MDOT MVA Driver and Vehicle Record Access Information

egov.maryland.gov

So, private investigator, online search company, whatever, there are lots of folks who have access to your records and are willing to sell them. It would be easy to take the license plate that you have posted, MD 2A38675, by the way, and find out your name and address.

If you think that no private individual can do that, or find you, you're mistaken.

I guess, keeping private on the internet is different than in public. Because there are no creepers or crooks on the road.

 

[atikovi]

Just need a DPPA reason and then I can sign up.

MDOT MVA Driver and Vehicle Record Access Information

egov.maryland.gov

So, private investigator, online search company, whatever, there are lots of folks who have access to your records and are willing to sell them. It would be easy to take the license plate that you have posted, MD 2A38675, by the way, and find out your name and address.

If you think that no private individual can do that, or find you, you're mistaken.

The average Joe you just cut off, isn't going to bother signing up for that, not that they would even get approved. And even if they get my address, so what? Will they commit some felony because I cut them off?

 

[Astro14]

The average Joe you just cut off, isn't going to bother signing up for that, not that they would even get approved. And even if they get my address, so what? Will they commit some felony because I cut them off?

You said no private individual can do it.

Now, you are saying that a person likely won’t, which is a very big shift, and an admission that they can.

Look, the OP question was about BITOG policy. We prohibit stalking.

If you post pictures of your license plate, you give a potential stalker one more piece of data about you. Each piece by itself may not be important, but as data is gathered and aggregated, you would be surprised how much a person can learn about you.

Your call. You may not care about that aggregation of data but some people do care.

 

[WobblyElvis]

If people can complain and go ballistic over something......they will. I think it makes them feel important.

Grab a pad of paper and a pen. Walk through a mall parking lot and start writing down VINs. See what happens.
Go into a library and start recording video.....

We are recorded all the time in public, security cameras are everywhere and dash cams continually pick up license plates.

But if it's just one person walking around with a camera, then John Q public thinks they can freak out and have them arrested to make themselves feel better. People feel small and powerless so they are grasping at everything to try and increase their feeling of self worth.

 

[atikovi]

You said no private individual can do it.

Now, you are saying that a person likely won’t, which is a very big shift, and an admission that they can.

You're saying a private individual can do it by signing up for that service. I'm saying a private individual won't be approved to use that service. Is that 100% foolproof? Of course not. But if someone is so determined to get your address, seeing your license plate in a public place won't help him much more than if he was to simply follow you home.

 

[kschachn]

The average Joe you just cut off, isn't going to bother signing up for that, not that they would even get approved. And even if they get my address, so what? Will they commit some felony because I cut them off?

True, maybe not the average Joe.

 

[Thermo1223]

I mean you can easily know all this by just searching my Facebook or general google search. Also county property & criminal records are public info in PA.

www.ncpub.org You can find any property owner's name just by the address. It is IMO a nothing burger considering I use a smartphone willingly everyday.

 

[eljefino]

Yes, as a valet you have some obligation to the customers' privacy. This goes beyond blacking out the license plates to not taking pictures at all, if the car is being parked in a place that is expected to be private. If the car is in a place where anyone can walk by and take pictures that means that you can as well.

Someone could be taking their mistress out for lunch at your fancy hotel/ restaurant and the wife could catch on. As a valet, you are "the help" and should NOT be doing anything to make your customers more visible, whether or not they're in the wrong.

And since you're valet-ing at a hospital, imagine if someone didn't want their friend circle knowing they were sick, and somehow this picture wound up online and got back to them. Maybe not even the license plate, maybe a dealer decal or bumper scratch is enough to ID a vehicle.

 

[TiGeo]

I routinely use public property records to contact people whose land I want to access for mineral exploration. This would be based on map analysis using public GIS property files. So I can follow you home and figure out who you are.

This convo always reminds me off....

 

[Astro14]

I routinely use public property records to contact people whose land I want to access for mineral exploration. This would be based on map analysis using public GIS property files. So I can follow you home and figure out who you are.

This convo always reminds me off....

View attachment 153114

The guy saying “nobody cares” ended up dead in that movie, so…

 

[AutoMechanic]

Personally I don’t mind showing off my license plates. I’m proud to have the ones I do. Mine past, current and ones I’ve bought are all posted in the license plate collection thread. I particularly love the two designs I have right now. Will be getting a third design for my new Camry soon when I get it registered and you most definitely will see the plate. I’m happy they don’t mind us posting them here from what I can tell. I understand it’s a risk because I can type in any plate number and find out information about the vehicle and if I want to find out about the owner then it costs money but it can be done. I personally would never do that to someone but I’m sure some would. Personally I think if you take a picture of a car it should include the license plate because usually it makes the car and picture better. And yes I have a few times taken pictures of cars with the plate and posted them but it’s not anything meant by it. Just happened to be in the picture.

 

[TiGeo]

The guy saying “nobody cares” ended up dead in that movie, so…

Well at least it was for stealing the Dino embryos and not from online license plate posting.

 

[FishFry]

You're submitting someones information for discussion in a public forum in which they are unaware and/or unable to defend themselves.

And they do the same thing, just by having public license plates on their vehicles in the first place.

 

[supton]

I’m still unsure about posting plate pics. I’m not convinced that one can look up address that easily, and they are out in the public where anyone can notice. So I’m undecided here. But:

I have been reluctant to get a vanity plate with my amateur radio callsign. Now that is something is public knowledge and can be looked up. qrz.com now requires login for accessing that info but it’s still out there. Not sure if anyone engages in similar activities where such info can easily be mined.