Slashdot Mirror
US Immigration Implements Biometric-based Border
scubacuda writes "The NY Times reports (free registration) that immigrations officials are putting in place a sophisticated new identification system that uses ID cards encrypted with digital photos, signatures, biographical information and fingerprints that have been issued by the State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service by the millions over the last five years. "With more information systems, there are more opportunities for abuse," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which is pushing the government to release more information on its biometric plans."
TOo bad Orwell's novel was not "2004" I mean i realize it is 2003 but think of what it is going to be like next year.
---
any safer. Remember that the 911 terrorists had valid Saudi (and other) papers. This scheme would not have saved any lives had it been implemented before 911.
It smells like pork barrel to me.
Hmm... my passport is valid for another 7 years or so... now presumably this would require all passports to be reissued or reapplied for, or swapped as they expire.
If they wait for expiry, the system can't work fully for another 10 years.
If they force reapplication, there'll be a public outcry if there's any need to pay for the new ones. The current affairs programs will have a field day.
So the remaining option involves the government paying for it all to be switched over... and the current affairs shows will have a field day again, talking about wasted money...
Welcome to Politics. Where people use just about anything to get what they want, with absolutely no respect for anyone else. For example, if a noteable shooting happens, the anti-gun lobby will sieze on that incident and use it to push their own agenda. Just like the incidents on Sept 11 are being used to push for these systems. They are not a reaction to any potential terrorist threat, certain people have been wanting these things for years. They are merely manipulating the public into thinking that it is neccessary. Democracy starts to fail when the government has the power to manipulate the public.
Do you think the souls who perished that day would be happy about the increasingly hypocritical "Land of the Free" turning into a police state? Where all your movements and communications are logged for all time? Where you are afraid to critizise the governent because it will increase your "terrorist rating" score on some automated system? Is that what "USA" means nowadays?
I am sorry, my American cousins, but your country is sliding down the crapper big time. It no longer stands for what it's supposed to, and it is a complete mockery of your constitution.
National borders have used identification credentials (passports) with a second-factor biometric (photographs) for decades. The difference is that the old biometric was analog, and was performed manually by a customs agent, and the new one is digital.
The slashdot crowd should get up in arms about places where biometrics are used where governments/corporations have no right or requirement of knowing exactly who you are. Disneyland shouldn't need my fingerprint to sell me a ride on Magic Mountain.
Border crossings are a case where the governments absolutely SHOULD know exactly who you are. That's the entire point of something like a passport, and a second or third authentication factor will only help make this identification more accurate.
This is a completely separate issue from whether those resulting biometrics should be stored in a linked database that is accessible for law enforcement. This should be addressed through legislation, or biometrics should be chosen that would not directly help in law enforcement (e.g. iris scans, hand geometry, etc.).
Why should US people going in other country be trusted ? Let us force the US have biometric Visa and passeport with finger print, saliva sample, skin and DNA sample, hair sample all on a chip, face recognition on 100 points etc... How would you think the US epople would react that the EU ask that from them ? I seriously doubt that most of you would accept this lightly without heavy protest.
C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
visit randi.org
"but I think there'll be a public outcry here in the UK"
Public outcry in the UK rarely changes things unless it is accompanied by violent demonstrations in Trafalgar Square (Poll Tax demonstration). When the right-to-silence was removed by the British Parliament a few years back, the public outcry did nothing to change the situation.
The current crop of British politicians have recently decided to do whatever the US government tells them. If the US government tells them to include biometric data on UK passports then the British politicians will include it. The usual "post 9-11" anti-terrorist security reasons will be hauled out... a few "looney-left" politicos will raise some civil rights issues, the media will come down firmly on the side of the Home Office and you will not be needing a visa to enter the United States at all.
You may be "interested to see how this turns out" but I'm wondering why the result is not obvious to you...
cheers
front
I reckon. Why wate their time with this, when all they need is to start tattooing barcodes on our foreheads. Much more cost effective!
Never fight naked, unless you're in prison...