YouTuber's Homemade Plate-Reader Tracked Police; Officers Came Calling
Peel Regional Police officers allegedly visited Anthony Sistilli's Brampton home over data his DIY license plate recognition camera collected on police cars.
Two Peel Regional Police officers allegedly came to the front door of Canadian software engineer and YouTuber Anthony Sistilli to ask about the data his homemade automated license plate recognition camera had collected, according to a YouTube video Sistilli posted earlier this week. Peel Regional Police did not immediately respond to Gizmodo's request for comment.
Sistilli, who built the camera himself, set it up in Brampton, Ontario, to track police cars. He documented the build and its operation in several TikTok videos.
The visit came about a month after Sistilli built the ALPR camera, according to his account.
Surveillance tech under scrutiny
Brampton recently spent 2 million Canadian dollars on high-resolution cameras and automated licence plate recognition technology. The city's own investment put the same class of tool in Sistilli's hands, pointed in the opposite direction.
Use of ALPR technology has expanded sharply in recent years, with Flock at the forefront of its widespread adoption and the controversies that followed. There have been reports of ALPR data being misused, including for stalking ex-partners, harassing immigrants, and harming random people.
Quick answers
What did Anthony Sistilli build?
The Canadian software engineer and YouTuber built his own automated license plate recognition camera and set it up in Brampton, Ontario, to track police cars.
Why did Peel Regional Police visit him?
According to a YouTube video he posted earlier this week, two Peel Regional Police officers allegedly came to his front door to ask about his intentions for the data he had collected.
Did Peel Regional Police comment?
Peel Regional Police did not immediately respond to Gizmodo's request for comment.