I dont understand

[Desert Fox]

Something that I see a lot and I don't understand why.

Some people go to a lot of trouble to block out their license plate number when posting a picture of their vehicle.

Why do that?

Most of the vehicles are modified so that they are easy to identify if you saw them in person so what difference does blocking out the license number make?

It does not make any difference to me if they do it, I just don't understand why.

 

[KidVermicious]

I believe it's an attempt to protect personal info. I don't see the point of it either.

 

[sandcrawler]

Rebecca Schaeffer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[LandCruiser]

Well, let's say you have a nice truck parked in your driveway and you post pics of it on the interwebs with your license plate and someone comes over to your house and steals yo shit.

...

In all likelyhood there is also metadata in the picture with your name in it, GPS coordinates from the cell phone, IP address from your ISP, etc...

There is no privacy.

 

[RiFF RaFF]

Well, let's say you have a nice truck parked in your driveway and you post pics of it on the interwebs with your license plate and someone comes over to your house and steals yo shit.

...

In all likelyhood there is also metadata in the picture with your name in it, GPS coordinates from the cell phone, IP address from your ISP, etc...

There is no privacy.

"This Property Is Protected By Kimber Security Services!"

:gun5:​

 

[eddiebx]

Something that I see a lot and I don't understand why.

Some people go to a lot of trouble to block out their license plate number when posting a picture of their vehicle.

Why do that?

Most of the vehicles are modified so that they are easy to identify if you saw them in person so what difference does blocking out the license number make?

It does not make any difference to me if they do it, I just don't understand why.

License plates are an easy way to find your home address, so why put that out there all over the internet if you don't have to. I understand it's out in the open all day long when you drive around, but let's put it this way, would you purposely post pictures online and your home address attached to each picture? I certainly wouldn't, but I am also more paranoid than most

 

[KidVermicious]

Anybody want to try and find my home address with just a license plate? I don't believe it's that easy.

 

[JB.]

Some people go to a lot of trouble to block out their license plate number when posting a picture of their vehicle.

I didn't know some people were going to a lot of trouble. It's ridiculously quick and easy for me so why not. If it was a pain, I doubt I would do it.

 

[snivilous]

License plates are an easy way to find your home address

Drivers Privacy Protection Act

Unless you're doing it illegally you're kinda screwed I think, and even then I don't know how somewhere would compile all that information since it would be illegal to have/get it in the first place...


If someone really wants to find you, then blocking out your license plate isn't gonna stop them is my perspective; but to each their own, I'm just too lazy to block it out. They can just meet my .357 when they come knocking

 

[fricksean]

Well, let's say you have a nice truck parked in your driveway and you post pics of it on the interwebs with your license plate and someone comes over to your house and steals yo shit.

That's no different from someone seeing you out on the road and decides to follow you home.

I think it's fine to leave your license plate as it is (I leave it alone myself), but to also include your home address without blurring that out... Well thats a different story for them goofs.

 

[HHIRunner]

Covering up your plate is worthless because if anyone on the Internet wants to find you they won't be using your Liscense plate. They'll use your IP address or track your phones GPS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[limamike]

Covering up your plate is worthless because if anyone on the Internet wants to find you they won't be using your Liscense plate. They'll use your IP address or track your phones GPS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

Oh yeah? Explain that one.

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

Thousands of people see your license plate when you drive your car. They can get the plate number just as easy. So why don't people put squiggly lines over their license plates in real life?

:crazy:

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

Covering up your plate is worthless because if anyone on the Internet wants to find you they won't be using your Liscense plate. They'll use your IP address or track your phones GPS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

And this is why I turn the GPS off for photos or use my DSLR which does not have GPS.

 

[eddiebx]

Anybody want to try and find my home address with just a license plate? I don't believe it's that easy.

Drivers Privacy Protection Act

Unless you're doing it illegally you're kinda screwed I think, and even then I don't know how somewhere would compile all that information since it would be illegal to have/get it in the first place...


If someone really wants to find you, then blocking out your license plate isn't gonna stop them is my perspective; but to each their own, I'm just too lazy to block it out. They can just meet my .357 when they come knocking

I think the people who work in repossessions or collections have access to these types of databases...of course I don't doubt you that it is illegal to retrieve such info

I guess I just see it as a preventative step, it might be pointless, but at the same time it doesn't cost me anything more than a few extra seconds of time.

 

[TRDCal]

There are multiple reasons people do this:

-In some states, you can go online and get address information reference license plates
-Once armed with the above info, you know the address the vehicle was registered to
-If you perused said vehicle online, and wished to steal it, you would have an address to start your initial search
-Many thieves use internet car forums to find the cars that have all the cool (expensive) internal mods that you can't view from the outside
-Historical note: The Oregon DMV records became private when people realized that you could go look up the address of a poor driver you saw earlier on the road, go to their house, and mess with it. It took road rage to a new level
-Risk management

I don't hide my plate as I drive down the street either. It is illegal. I don't have my email, phone number, address, full name, date of birth or social security number stenciled on my vehicles, but would that be smart?

Couple years back we had this discussion (http://www.toyota-4runner.org/gener...st-license-plate-s-so-you-cant-read-them.html). This guy seemed to think it was a good idea. I tried to find my own personal info and was unable so I have no issue leaving my license plate unblurred. I was under the impression American laws were different but maybe not.

Plus my house is hard to find even if you have the right address.

Rebecca Schaeffer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yah she was always posting pictures of her license plate

 

[4RunnerFan]

I know it's illegal now, but not that many years ago some folks would simply call their friends or relatives in law enforcement and ask to do a DMV check for them.

 

[JB.]

I guess I just see it as a preventative step, it might be pointless, but at the same time it doesn't cost me anything more than a few extra seconds of time.

This is the key. It's a cost/benefit thing.

The OP was implying the cost was high (hard to do) so why do it?

If the cost is nearly non-existent (easy to do) then why not do it?

For me, it's literally harder to rename a file.

 

[helo-mech]

[MENTION=73242]Desert Fox[/MENTION]
[MENTION=49649]KidVermicious[/MENTION]
[MENTION=29376]sandcrawler[/MENTION]
[MENTION=92049]LandCruiser[/MENTION]
[MENTION=75331]RiFF RaFF[/MENTION]
[MENTION=85512]eddiebx[/MENTION]
[MENTION=2798]JB.[/MENTION]
[MENTION=92884]snivilous[/MENTION]
[MENTION=96835]fricksean[/MENTION]
[MENTION=90013]HHIRunner[/MENTION]
[MENTION=62008]limamike[/MENTION]
[MENTION=49966]mikey's2010SR5[/MENTION]
[MENTION=72962]TRDCal[/MENTION]
[MENTION=24482]4RunnerFan[/MENTION]

I just picked someone who posted in this thread and without using a license plate or GPS tagging from a picture I was able to locate the exact street and house that I believe this person lives at.

I have no experience in this and was able to accomplish it in less than 30 minutes by making a total of 7 notes from other threads this member has posted in. In addition, I requested no assistance from a pay service and was able to do it all with only 3 additional windows open on my screen. Even worse, my 8 and 5 year old are running circles around me playing tag the entire time, so it wasn't like I was concentrating that much.

I am not going to name who it was, or disclose the information on here (I will send the member a PM), but my point with this is this......

,,,,,,,,you must assume privacy is gone. Your name, address, where you work, habits and what not are not private if you decide to use/post to internet forums. Sure you can take precautions if you'd like, but the only way to really stay private is stay off of the internet, don't drive anywhere (big brother cams) and walk everywhere with your face buried in your chest while you haul cash around to pay for everything.

Just make sure you are vigilant with your surroundings, great everyone you meet with a smile, but have a plan to take them out in the event you must.

 

[TNRunner99]

This is the key. It's a cost/benefit thing.

The OP was implying the cost was high (hard to do) so why do it?

If the cost is nearly non-existent (easy to do) then why not do it?

It's easy to do with a mac that's why I blur mine.