Operation of congestion tax for Manhattan
The congestion tax for driving in much of Manhattan operates by identifying
all cars heading into the congestion charge area.
Charging a tax for causing congestion is legitimate in my view,
but it does not excuse tracking people's movements in the absence of
legitimate grounds.
It would not be terribly hard to sell a temporary sticker that you
could attach inside your windshield to indicate you paid the
congestion tax for today, for this month, or whatever period you chose.
The system could be designed not to record which car has passed
if it shows proof of payment.
To accept the excuse that "identifying people is the usual method" or
"the easy way to implement" as sufficient justification for
identifying people is, in effect, to accept total tracking sooner or
later. We must insist that Freedom and privacy for everyone are worth
what they cost.
</li>