Home Depot and Lowe's have added automated license plate cameras across their parking lots, which is bad news for anyone who values privacy while shopping.

• The cameras come from Flock, a company that photographs cars, license plates, and behavior in parking lots.
• Home Depot says the goal is catching shoplifters, and that footage only goes to local police.
• Local police can then pass what they collect to federal agencies, so the reach goes well beyond the store.
• The systems already use AI and facial recognition, and the cameras are often tucked into corners where shoppers do not notice them.

Outlook: Expect more retailers to add this kind of camera network, and expect a growing fight over who gets access to the data.