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The High Crime of “LMAO”: How Cops Are Treating Mass Surveillance As a Joke

The EFF analyzed police searches of automated license plate reader databases and found officers across the country entering absurd, joking, or nonsensical reasons—like "LOL," "LMAO," "idk," and keyboard mashing—to access location data on drivers with no judicial oversight or meaningful accountability.
  • Officers from dozens of departments logged searches with reasons like "LOL," "sexy," "weird kid," "dickhead," and random keyboard strings (asdfga, hjknuilh), treating mass surveillance access like a personal tool.
  • More than 30 agencies ran over 6,300 searches justified only with "TBD," and Priceville Police Department alone logged 1,954 searches this way, showing systemic absence of real documentation.
  • Police departments responded with minimal consequences—counseling, vague promises of review, or citing union contracts that shield officers from investigation after 90 days.
Last saved Sep 17, 2026 · 6 min read
surveillance-abuse license-plate-readers police-accountability civil-liberties flock-safety