AUSTIN, Texas — Austin is doing away with its license plate reader program at the end of the month after mounting concerns over privacy and data collection .

Automatic License Plate Readers, or ALPRs, are devices that rapidly snap photos of license plates, then store the images in a database that can link them to potential crimes or missing persons. On Wednesday, some council members and local coalitions addressed how they believe APLRs are being weaponized as mass surveillance tools.

"There is not enough companies out there that can guarantee that our data will be protected," said Annette Price, the executive director of Grassroots Leadership. "It is best to not collect it in the first place."

The city has contracts with Flock Safety and Axon to run the program. The city has 40 camer

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