France May Require Biometric ID Cards

Will Affleck-Asch writes "According to an article on Infoworld today, France may require her citizens pay for new identity cards that hold their biometric information in electronic format. The French government outlined its plan last month to replace the identity cards and passports offered to French citizens with new ones that carry a microchip containing digitized photographs and fingerprints. The plan is to introduce the passports in 2006, and the identity cards a year later. Citizens haven't been forced to carry ID cards since 1955."

Comments

cancel them in the US then.

[mobiux]

You can bet if the French think it's a good idea, the US will put current plans on hold.

Re:cancel them in the US then.

[Profane MuthaFucka]

We'll just call them Freedom Cards, but require them to be chained to your ankle at all times.

In related news...

[ackthpt]

WASHINGTON, DC (SD-NFN:YRO) Secretary Michael Chertoff, head of the Department Homeland Security has announced that beginning in 2006 US citizens will be required to carry around an ID carrying french citizen for positive identification. "If the french citizen is male, they must be wearing a beret, if female they must attempt to look as much like Audrey Hepburn as possible."

Civil rights groups have been on watch, expecting a move by Homeland Security, requiring americans to posess biometric or more detailed identification, voicing concern of violation of constitutional rights. Elizabeth Rall, speaking for the ACLU stated this clearly would present a problem as there are more american citizens than french and require rationing. "Ms. Ralls concerns as just more bleeding heart liberal whining", retorted embattled House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay, "this is for the good of all americans and their personal safety."

The State Department will shortly be convening a task force for the partition of France to breed more identity carriers. The Whitehouse welcomed this unexpected help from the french who strongly sided against the invasion of Iraq. "It's the least they can do for America", said White House press secretary Scott McClellan. Experts expect the french Biometric chip to resemble former french president Charles de Gaul, while an american counterpart, expected on the within 10 years will resemble former US president Ronald Reagan.

The REAL story:

[Anonymous Coward]

"My name is George W Bush, my voice is my passport. Please verify me."

If you want a picture of the future

[Doc, the Weasel]

...imagine an unwashed, French slipper on a human face -- for ever.

Re:I'd Pay For This In The U.S.

[Anonymous Coward]

The terrorists, being law-abiding people, would carefully register their legal occupation as "terrorist", and thus it would be easy to find them in our national databases.

The French have already surrendered

[Timesprout]

to their new Biometric Identity card overlords

Re:Can this data be one-way hashed instead of stor

[Capt'n Hector]

"the scary thing about someone being able to get an electronic copy of the data is the ability to make a replica."

Nah. They'd probably just rip your eyeballs out.

Re:What perfect idiots (not insightful)

[Anonymous Coward]

The fingerprint doesn't even need to be connected to the person's identity.

I hate to burst your bubble, but your fingerprint will always be tied to your identity.

Re:It's probably the US requiring them

[Anonymous Coward]

bring a suspected asshat into contact with the authorities quicker.

That's great. "Arrested on suspicion of asshat"