Privacy Daily Quotes Kathleen McConnell and Vince Smolczynski on Rise in California ALPR Litigation

Privacy Daily quoted Kathleen McConnell, co-leader of Seyfarth’s Global Privacy & Security team, and Vince Smolczynski in its article, “ALPR Lawsuits Rise Following Expansion of California Statute, Lawyers Say.” Published on July 22, 2026, the article examines the increase in litigation involving automated license plate readers (ALPRs) following a California court ruling that expanded the scope of potential claims under the state’s ALPR law.

McConnell discussed how the decision has fueled a surge in lawsuits by lowering the hurdle for plaintiffs to allege harm, noting:

“This ruling opened up arguments around what would be sufficient to cause harm in a way that hadn't been quite as easily accessible for the plaintiffs' bar before.”

Smolczynski highlighted the broad range of organizations that could face exposure under the statute and the importance of aligning operational practices with public disclosures, emphasizing:

“Almost any sort of organization operating within California that uses this kind of technology can be swept under the law.” 

The full article is available here.