By Steven Symes 
Washington State Patrol is using cellphone data to combat speeding on public roads in the state. That might sound a little too Big Brother for most people, but don’t worry, troopers aren’t using your phone to bust you speeding on the highway… yet.
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Instead, the Washington law enforcement agency harvested data from people back in 2023, using that to identify stretches of road where people tend to speed, reports King 5. That’s all done through Michelin Mobility Intelligence, which provided cellphone data to the state.
During covid lockdowns, we saw local governments in some areas using cellphone data to see if people were violating mandates. In other words, this type of thing is being used to see where people like to speed, but it could be used for any number of other purposes.
For now, the data is being used to see where people like to speed and at what times of the day. Washington State Patrol says it’s going to concentrate on four areas it identified as hot spots. This is being done to protect the public, so the intentions are good, right?
We expect if other law enforcement agencies around the nation haven’t started doing similar things, they will in the near future. Michelin Mobility Intelligence is undoubtedly talking with a few agencies about what they’ve done in Washington and how that can be done elsewhere.
Just like any tool, this sort of thing can be used for good or ill. But once you put it in the hands of government, you might get a mixture of the two.
Don’t get us wrong: using real time cellphone data to track and break up street takeovers would be great in theory. While real time data isn’t on the table right now, we think it’s only a matter of time before it’s a thing law enforcement uses and everyone just accepts it as the way things are.
After all, doing mass surveillance is okay as long as the government is trying to keep us safe, right?
Image via Washington State Patrol/Facebook