Many photos that get posted have the license plate obscured or hidden and I was wondering why. I understand hiding your phone number or bank account number on a web site because you would want to limit who knows them but the license plate is visible to everyone as soon as you drive on a public road. What scenarios are folks worring about when they PhotoShop out the license plate before posting a picture? The only one I can think of is linking the car to posts about racing because they are worried that the dealer may voiid the warranty but I don't think that situation is common enough to explain all the hidden plates.

 

Some people on the internet like to stalk. And seeing that they can find out where you live. Also might want to steal your car. Oh and some police officer might see your car and say something on it is illegal find you and ticket you. Could happen but, that might be everyone's reason.

 

Some of us track junkies remove our plates when we go to the track as there have been rumors about car insurance company reps. taking pictures of us. I guess the theory is they could cancel coverage or bump up your premium. I think the main reason people do it online is to prevent tracing who you are and where your car is. Having said that, there's a 40-something page long thread about personalized plates on this site!

 

Instead of why, ask why not. Takes 2 seconds and better safe than sorry!

 

I do it for the above reasons. Plus, since it don't always know the owner of the car, I just do it out of courtesy.
Instead of blurring the plate, I clone the numbers into another sequence.

Jim

 

Identity theft... I don't want someone opening credits and buying houses with my car's identity....

Seriously, I only blur license plates (of someone else's car that happens to look like mine ) if the picture shows the car doing something illegal. That offers me the ability to deny. But beyond that, I don't think people on the Internet are more likely to stalk me then people in the real world.