An Associated Press article states that California’s legislature is considering a bill that could potentially lower state debt. The bill allows the state to begin researching digital license plates. Ad placement on the digital plate would generate a revenue stream for the debt riddled state. Smart Plate, a San Francisco-based company, is developing electronic license plates, but has not put them production quite yet.
On one hand, this may boost the state’s economy, but there is the question of driver safety. Although the automobile ads would only appear when a car stops for at least four seconds, there are several other factors to consider. Theft, personal property rights and media buying all come to mind. Do the benefits of economic growth outweigh the possible safety hazards, or is it the other way around?
