After Sony drew some unwanted attention for a post demonstrating its AI Camera Assistant on the Xperia 1 XIII, it’s trying to clarify how the feature works. The company says it doesn’t edit photos, but makes suggestions based on lighting, depth, and subject. Point the camera at something, and it will give you four options for changing exposure, color, and background blur.

In its product video, Sony says that the AI Camera Assistant will also suggest “the most photogenic angle.” Though the clip only shows it suggesting that someone zoom in, which is not the same as suggesting a camera angle.

The examples that Sony posted on X, while better than those it posted on May 14th, are still pretty terrible. They’re not as washed out as the sandwich or as over-exposed as the portrait in the meadow. But each suggestion in the grid below has serious issues and looks worse than the original. Suggestion one is way too saturated, two is flat and over-processed, three makes it look like the food is Photoshopped into the frame, and the contrast in four is cranked way too high.

If you’re using an Xperia 1 XIII, your best bet is probably to ignore the AI Camera Assistant’s suggestions for now.

You pull into a Home Depot or Lowe’s parking lot to grab mulch, paint or a new patio chair. You probably expect security cameras near the entrance. What you may not expect is a camera that captures your license plate as you drive in or out.

That is now reportedly happening at some Home Depot and Lowe’s stores in Connecticut. The cameras are automated license plate readers, also known as ALPRs. They photograph the back of a vehicle, record the plate number and log details such as time and location.

Retailers say the systems help prevent theft and protect customers and employees. Police say the cameras can help solve crimes. However, privacy advocates worry that shoppers may have little idea when their plate is being scanned or who can later search that data.

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WASHINGTON COURT SAYS FLOCK CAMERA IMAGES ARE PUBLIC RECORDS

What are license plate cameras?

Automated license plate readers use cameras and software to capture plate numbers from passing vehicles. Police departments often use them on roads to look for stolen cars, missing vehicles or suspects tied to active investigations.

Now, similar systems are showing up in retail parking lots. In Connecticut, Flock Safety cameras have been installed at some Home Depot and Lowe’s locations.  Flock Safety’s license plate reader technology captures vehicle information, including license plates and vehicle characteristics such as make, model and color on the property. The company said its system does not use facial recognition.

That means a quick trip to Home Depot or Lowe’s could create a searchable data point tied to your vehicle. Also, more than two dozen police departments in the state use automated plate readers.    

Why are stores using license plate readers?

Home Depot and Lowe’s say the cameras are used for security, theft prevention and public safety.

In a statement to CyberGuy, a Home Depot spokesperson said, “We’ve had parking area security cameras in place at our stores for many years, as many retailers do. These cameras are used solely as a security measure to prevent theft and protect the safety of our customers and associates in our stores. We do not grant access to our license plate readers to federal law enforcement.” Home Depot also points customers to its usage policy posted on its website.

Home Depot’s statement addresses federal law enforcement access, but questions remain about how local or out-of-state police requests are handled.

Lowe’s privacy policy says personal information collected through ALPRs may be used to help ensure security, prevent theft and fraud, assist with parking enforcement and help keep people and property safe.

That may sound reasonable, especially with organized retail theft making headlines. Still, the bigger question is what happens after your plate gets scanned.

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Can police access store license plate data?

Yes, in some cases. Police officials say law enforcement can access data from Lowe’s and Home Depot license plate cameras in Connecticut. Some local departments have also entered into written agreements with retailers to receive automatic or continuous access to cameras at certain stores.

When Flock Safety cameras are deployed by private businesses, the data is owned and controlled by the business or organization using the system. The company says data sharing is off by default, and any decision to share data requires an active choice by the data owner. Flock also says every search is permanently logged in an immutable audit trail. That means police access isn’t simply automatic through Flock. It depends on whether the business chooses to share access, how that access is granted and which agencies are approved.

That is where the privacy debate gets tricky. Connecticut recently passed new rules for police use of automated license plate readers. The law limits how police can share plate data with out-of-state agencies, adds data retention rules and prohibits use of the systems for immigration enforcement.

MICROSOFT CROSSES PRIVACY LINE FEW EXPECTED

However, the law focuses on public agencies. It does not directly address private companies that use similar cameras in their parking lots. That means a police-owned camera on a road may face one set of rules, while a retailer-owned camera in a store parking lot may fall into a murkier category. Private retailers also do not have the same public disclosure requirements as police departments. 

So shoppers may not know which local or out-of-state agencies have access, how often police search the data or what happens when requests cross state lines. That’s the bigger concern. The issue isn’t only that your plate may be scanned. It is that the rules may depend on who owns the camera.   

How to protect your privacy around license plate cameras

You cannot fully stop a camera from seeing your license plate when you drive in public. However, you can take a few practical steps.

Look for posted notices

Check for signs near parking lot entrances or store exits. Some retailers may disclose the use of license plate readers on signs, store websites or privacy policies.

Read the store’s privacy policy

Search the retailer’s privacy policy for phrases such as “automated license plate reader,” “ALPR,” “vehicle information,” or “license plate.” That can help you understand what data the company says it collects and why.

Ask how your plate data is used

Contact customer service if you want clearer answers. Ask how long the company keeps license plate data, which agencies can access it and how requests from law enforcement are reviewed. Flock Safety data is automatically deleted after 30 days by default. Shoppers can still ask whether a retailer uses the default setting or a different retention policy.

Watch what lawmakers do next

Pay attention to local and state rules. More states are looking closely at license plate reader data, but private use may still fall behind police regulation.

Why this debate is only getting bigger

Retailers want tools that help stop theft. Police want information that can help with investigations. Those goals are not hard to understand.

The problem is transparency. People should know when their movements are being logged, how long that data lasts and who can search it later.

License plate readers are spreading because they are useful. However, useful technology still needs clear rules. Without them, a simple shopping trip can become another piece of location data sitting in a database most people never knew existed.

What this means for you

This does not mean you need to avoid Home Depot or Lowe’s. It does mean some retail parking lots may collect more information than you realize. Your license plate is already visible in public. But automated scanning changes the equation. A person spotting your plate in a parking lot is one thing. A searchable database that logs when and where your vehicle appeared is very different. The concern comes down to control and transparency.

The rules can vary depending on who owns the camera, who manages the data and who gets access. A local police camera may face public reporting rules. A private retailer’s system can still leave shoppers with questions about which agencies received access and how those decisions were made.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

License plate cameras at stores create a privacy tradeoff that none of us signed up for. On one hand, stores want to stop theft and keep parking lots safer. That makes sense. On the other hand, you may not expect your license plate to be logged just because you ran in for mulch, batteries or a new drill bit. That is why transparency is so important. If private companies are collecting this kind of data and police can access it, you deserve to know how long it is kept, who can search it and what rules are in place. Security can be useful, but it should not come with a guessing game about where your information goes next.

Would you still shop at a store if you knew your license plate was being scanned and potentially shared with police? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Snap, YouTube, and TikTok have settled the first lawsuit of its kind, alleging that social media addiction has cost public schools massive amounts of money, according to Bloomberg. The suit, filed by the Breathitt County School District in Kentucky, claims that social media has disrupted learning and created a mental health crisis, straining budgets. The terms of the settlement have not been revealed yet, and Meta is still facing a trial in the same suit, which is viewed as a bellwether for over 1,000 similar lawsuits across the country

This follows an earlier case, settled by Snap and TikTok, in which a 19-year-old plaintiff claimed significant personal injury due to addictive social media apps. Google and Meta did not agree to a settlement in that suit, and it eventually went to trial, where a jury awarded the plaintiff $6 million. Meta also recently lost a suit brought by New Mexico’s Attorney General, to the tune of $375 million.

Beyond monetary awards, many, including New Mexico, are pushing for significant changes to social media apps to limit their harm to minors. And this is just the start of what’s shaping up to be a busy year for social media lawsuits. According to Bloomberg, lawyers representing school districts said their “focus remains on pursuing justice for the remaining 1,200 school districts who have filed cases.”