Why Blur License Plates?
Why Do People Blur Their License Plates?
In May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect in the European Union. The GDPR requires people to get explicit consent from users before collecting, using or sharing their personal data. It also gives individuals the right to know what personal data is being collected about them, the right to have that data erased, and the right to refuse consent for its use.
Another similar law is the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) , which went into effect on January 1, 2020. The CCPA requires people and entities to disclose what personal data they collect, why they collect it, and with whom they share it. It also gives Californians the right to know what personal data is being collected about them, the right to have that data erased, and the right to refuse consent for its use.
In order to comply with the GDPR and CCPA, many companies have been forced to change the way they collect and store data. One way to do this is to anonymize data by blurring faces or license plates in images.
Why are license plates blurred out on TV when anyone can read them in person?
The simple answer is that it's a way to protect the privacy of the people in the image. Other reasons include:
- To comply with GDPR or CCPA regulations
- To avoid identity theft: if a thief knows your license plate number, they can use it to find your home address
- To prevent stalking: if a stalker knows your license plate number, they can use it to find where you live or work
- To avoid harassment: if someone does not want their location to be public knowledge, blurring their license plate can help keep them safe from harassment
While blurring license plates on TV may seem like a small privacy protection measure, it can make a big difference for the people in the image.
How to Blur License Plates in Video
There are a few different ways that you can blur license plates in videos. The most common way is to use video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. These programs have built-in tools that allow you to blur faces and license plates.
If you don't have access to video editing software, there are a few other options. One is to use a phone app. A blurring app can allow you to blur license plates in videos that you take with your phone.
The drawback of using an app like this is that it can be difficult to get the blur perfect. If you're not careful, you may end up blurring out something that you didn't mean to.
Gallio, our automated license plate recognition software, solves all these problems. Gallio can automatically blur faces and license plates in videos with a high degree of accuracy. And because it's automated, there's no risk of accidentally blurring something that you didn't mean to.
All that you have to do is subscribe to Gallio and then upload the video that you want to blur. You can blur multiple and lengthy videos very quickly with Gallio.
Gallio is 6 times cheaper than cloud processing and gives you more than 98% accuracy when blurring images and videos.
Why Blur License Plates in Photos?
Many of the same reasons apply to why you might want to blur license plates in photos.
These include:
- To protect the privacy of the people in the photo
- To comply with laws like the GDPR or CCPA
- To prevent someone from identifying the location of the photo
- To prevent identity theft and stalkers
If you're sharing a photo online, it's always a good idea to check if there are any faces or license plates visible. If there are, you may want to consider blurring them out.
Why Blur License Plates in Photos?
Automated photo blurring technology by Gallio can handle blurring out license plates in photos with ease and accuracy. All you need to do is upload the photo that you want to blur and Gallio will take care of the rest.
Gallio offers a lifetime demo so that you can try it for yourself with no commitment. For anonymization of faces and registration plates in bulk and commercial use, you can subscribe to our Professional and Enterprise packages.
