Editing Chatgpt.com/share/68f06de6-6abc-8010-a92a-c57aa8b04896 (section)

== gpt-5-t-mini ==
=== User: Is it illegal to take a picture of a car's license plate and post it on the Internet? ===
Is it illegal to take a picture of a car's license plate and post it on the Internet?

=== Assistant: Short answer: usually no — it’s not automatically illegal to photograph a car’s license plate in public and post that p… ===
Short answer: usually no — it’s not automatically illegal to photograph a car’s license plate in public and post that photo online. In the U.S. license plates are publicly visible information, and photographing things you can see from public places is generally protected. First Amendment Coalition<ref>{{cite web|title=First Amendment Coalition|url=https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/asked-and-answered/publishing-a-photo-showing-license-plate-numbers/|publisher=First Amendment Coalition|access-date=2025-10-18}}</ref>

Important caveats (when posting can get you in trouble)
* If the photo is used to harass, stalk, threaten, or dox someone, you can face civil or criminal liability. Publishing a plate together with other personal details (home address, phone, photos of the owner, etc.) that enable abuse is the risky scenario. blgwins.com<ref>{{cite web|title=blgwins.com|url=https://www.blgwins.com/is-it-legal-to-take-pictures-of-license-plates-a-guide-to-privacy-laws/|publisher=blgwins.com|access-date=2025-10-18}}</ref>
* Context matters — calling people out, encouraging harassment, or implying criminality without evidence can lead to defamation, harassment, or cyberstalking claims. blgwins.com<ref>{{cite web|title=blgwins.com|url=https://www.blgwins.com/is-it-legal-to-take-pictures-of-license-plates-a-guide-to-privacy-laws/|publisher=blgwins.com|access-date=2025-10-18}}</ref>
* Different countries/regions have stronger data-privacy rules. In the EU/UK, a license plate can be “personal data” under GDPR if it identifies a person or is published beyond private/family use — publicly posting dashcam footage or photo galleries may trigger data-protection rules. ICO<ref>{{cite web|title=ICO|url=https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/advice-and-services/innovation-advice/previously-asked-questions/|publisher=ico.org.uk|access-date=2025-10-18}}</ref>
* Local/state laws and platform rules vary. Some states have anti-doxxing or harassment statutes; social platforms may remove images that encourage abuse. There are also separate laws against obscuring plates to avoid enforcement (not directly about photographing them, but relevant to plate-related disputes). New York Post<ref>{{cite web|title=New York Post|url=https://nypost.com/2025/01/09/us-news/illegal-license-plate-obscuring-kits-readily-available-online/|publisher=New York Post|date=2025-01-09|access-date=2025-10-18}}</ref>

Practical advice
* If you want to be safe, blur or crop the plate before posting.
* Don’t combine the plate with other identifying details (home address, license-holder name, photos of the person inside the car).
* If you’re posting to report a crime to police or a news outlet, stick to verifiable facts and consider contacting authorities instead of publishing it widely.
* If you want a jurisdiction-specific answer (e.g., Idaho, California, UK, EU), tell me which state/country and I’ll pull the exact laws and guidance for that place.

Would you like me to check the rules for a particular state or country?