Law enforcement uses smart meter parking apps to spy on everyone (Updated)
As more and more cities and towns privatize everything, the use of Smart Meter Parking Apps (SMPA) continues to grow.
Which is a good thing right?
Wrong, cities and towns are using SMPA's like ParkMobile, StreetLine, ParkMe, Park Smarter, ParkBud, Passport Parking, MPay2Park and SmartParking to collect all kinds of personal information.
According to numerous privacy policies, SMPA's collect much more information than most people realize..
A look at ParkMobile's privacy policy reveals the types of personal information SMPA's collect.
"Personal Information consisting of, at a minimum, your name, email address, mobile phone number, vehicle license tag number and issuing jurisdiction, Payment Method, Payment Information, Username and password. Over the course of your Use of the Platform, we may collect additional Personal Information such as: your mailing address, billing address, Transaction data; GPS data; information that you voluntarily provide like User Content; information received from your credit card provider, digital wallet, or financial institution".
Did you catch that?
SMPA's at a minimum, are collecting tons of personal information and creating a huge database of where and when you park.
Updated 2/16:
Transit Authorities are using mobile ticketing (tracking) apps
The Utah Transit Authority is using Passport Transit (PT) to track millions of commuters.
According to PT, their app is used by more than 200 million riders. Which also means they are tracking more than 200 million commuters!
"Riders on Utah Transit Authority (UTA) can now skip waiting in transit ticket lines and use their smartphones to buy their fares. The UTA today announced the launch of the UTA GoRide mobile ticketing application. Passport, the global leader in transit and parking payments, powers the mobile ticketing app for UTA and has launched mobile solutions for large cities around the world". (Click here, here, here and here to read about PT and Transit Authorities.)
They even plan to encourage college students to download PT.
According to an article in Cleveland.com, PT also plans on tracking millions of college students.
'Optional ticketing options include things like making the app compatible with the U-Pass college student transit pass and the Commuter Advantage program...'
Do SMPA's share your data with law enforcement?
Police can use smart meter parking apps to spy on motorists
image credit: Mobiloitte
SMPA's will share your personal data with law enforcement based on their good faith judgement.
"We will share your personal information if we, in our good faith judgment, believe it is necessary to..."
SMPA's like StreetLine warn that they "reserve the right to disclose your personally identifiable
information to others as we believe appropriate".
ParkMobile's privacy policy also reveals how SMPA's are all too willing to, "provide requested information to relevant authorities upon the request of such authorities".
A 2013, article in USA Today warned that major cities across the country are creating their own spying SMPA's.
"From Pittsburgh to Los Angeles — and dozens of cities in between — mobile applications are becoming available to ease drivers' search for a place to park."
Below is a list of some cities that have created their own SMPA's.
ParkBoston,
ParkSmart NYC,
ParkPGH (Pittsburgh)
MeterUp (Philadelphia)
ParkIndy
ParkChicago,
LA Express Park
Fyi, LA Express Park is a federally funded SMPA developed by Xerox. Don't forget Xerox also makes 'Vehicle Passenger Detection System' cameras that police use to identify everyone with 95% accuracy.
SMPA's shouldn't be used to spy on everyone and they reveal much more than when a parking spot is vacant or when the meter is about to expire.