Joy Powers wants narrow use and data limits for license plate readers
Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Virginia's 9th District
“I have serious concerns about allowing automatic license plate readers to become a system of mass location surveillance without meaningful public oversight. Law-enforcement technology should be narrowly used for legitimate public-safety purposes, with clear limits on retention and sharing of location data and transparency about who has access to it.”
Source and context
Original text
About this source
Joy Powers' written responses to a questionnaire from Virginia's public media stations, published September 21, 2026. Rep. Morgan Griffith did not respond to the questionnaire.
Before the quotation
Virginia's public media stations asked congressional candidates for their stance on Flock and other automatic license plate readers in their districts. Answers were lightly edited for style and clarity. Her opponent, Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith, did not respond to the full questionnaire and gave no answer on the question.
After the quotation
In her next answer in the survey, Powers said the biggest challenge facing the district is whether working people can afford to build a life and stay there.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Powers said she has serious concerns about the readers becoming mass location surveillance without public oversight, and that the technology should be used narrowly with limits on retention and sharing. Allowing the readers under limits fits Mixed or conditional.
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- Published here
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
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