Colorado May Map Drivers' Faces

mongoose14 writes: "The DMV in Colorado wants to use facial recognition to map the faces of folks and prevent identity theft and drivers' license fraud. Apart from the suspected lobbying by the manufacturers of the hardware and software, the article at least raises the BB question. Also, AFAIK, face recognition was developed in the US (?)." An excerpt from the article reads: "First it was the photo-radar vans snapping pictures of Denver-area speeders. Now, some fear Big Brother's roving eye soon will be watching all of Colorado with the arrival of a new European import called 'face recognition.'"

Comments

Let's clarify a few things

[LnkStern]

I am a Colorado resident, and I would like to clarify a few points I think some people are glossing over. A state government spokesperson who is extremely familiar with the program called into the local Mike Rosen radio talk show (a well known and popular Denver show) to discuss this system. Here are some of the points she clarified:

1. The primary purpose of this system is to prevent identity theft, which is a rapidly growing type of crime. The most basic type of identity theft (criminal obtains sufficient personal information on someone to request a new copy of their driver's license) would be directly blocked by this technology (new photo does not match old photo). And, although she did not say this, I would imagine that if there are any "close calls" or other questions, the final decision would be deferred to a human operator.

2. Contrary to an erroneous report on Friday by the AP, there are NO plans to begin photographing drivers in cars and comparing those photos to the drivers license database. This was not mentioned in the Denver Post article, but it appeared in the online version of the Denver Rocky Mountain News on Friday.

Once again, the purpose here is to combat identity theft. Mike Rosen stated that he thought this was an appropriate use of technology to combat this particular crime. He also stated that, while there are always concerns about potential future uses for these photographs, those nebulous future concerns do not lead him to oppose this technology at this time. I agree with him on both points.

Yes, it is possible to dream up many possible orwellian future uses for this technology. However, it is incumbent upon us, as citizens, to maintain knowledge of and vigilance over the actions of our elected officials to prevent future abuses of this and other surveillance technologies.

Lincoln F. Sternn

Mod this one up

[Greyfox]

Dude has a point. The problem is that many of our laws have been made to protect the stupid people who should be dying (Darwin and all that.) Why are we protecting stupid people? Stupid people should just quietly bump themselves out of the gene pool, resulting in hopefully less stupid future generations. If anything, our laws should be overtly hostile toward stupid people.

An example: Currently laws in many states mandate seatbelt use. If instead seatbelt use was not mandated but the law specifically allowed insurance carriers to not pay medical costs of anyone in the car who was not wearing a seatbelt, that would allow people to make the stupid choice if they want to and force them to live with the consequences if they get hurt in the process.

Of course, you're going to get a bunch of whiners talking about how we should coddle stupid people who would object to this. What do you expect from a generation brought up on Mr. Rogers and Barney? I'm sorry. It's a cruel world. It's supposed to be a cruel world. And overly crowded too; no room for stupid people.

Re:They already take your thumbprint

[Sc00ter]

They don't require a thumbprint in NH. And they magnetic strip doesn't have anything on it except your license number (to save the cops from typing it in). That's all it needs anyway, the computers in the cop cars just radio that shit in and they get the most updated driving record info. That way they don't have to radio all that stuff in over voice so that people with scanners can hear your entire driving record. Also, in NH it's illegal now for them to put your SSN on your license.. The stopped doing it about 3 years ago, and before that they had an check box on the form for your license to not print it on your license.

Of course NH seems to be a bit free with driving laws.. We also don't require a seat belt over 18 or a helmet on a motorcycle, also don't require car insurance.. Another thing we don't have lame emissions tests. (The only reason I call them lame is because the more serious offenders, like diesel and commercial trunks are usually exempt, so they just screw the normal joe that can't afford anything better then a 1982 shitbox that burns a little oil).

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