US Expands Airport Biometric Data Collection

athloi sends word of an expansion of the US-VISIT program that now requires two fingerprints from foreign visitors arriving at scores of airports. Beginning later this year the US will be testing a system that collects 10 digital fingerprints, at 10 major points of entry. A US Homeland Security director assured EU officials that the program would operate under strict privacy rules. But he noted that the FBI and CIA will have access to the biometric data, which over time may expand beyond fingerprints.

Comments

"Points of entry"?

[sczimme]

Beginning later this year the US will be testing a system that collects 10 digital fingerprints, at 10 major points of entry.

That sounds painful... Eeek.

Re:"Points of entry"?

[rts008]

After DHS gets done with you, only 10 major points of entry will seem like a good thing.

After going through 'Security', you will leak like a sieve. But after that first deflowering, it shouldn't be that bad the next time.

But you'll never be able to fly Virgin Airways again.

Re:Making a good impression

[fred fleenblat]

I was going to suggest that since most terrorists are male, we simply request vaginaprints. If you cannot produce a valid vaginaprint you cannot get on the plane or enter the country.

Problem solved!

Deduction Watson!

[SuperCharlie]

Since the terrorists wont be stupid enough to be fingerprinted, once we have everyone's fingerprints, those that are left MUST be the enemy! Brilliant!

Options:

[trolltalk.com]

[_] "You can have my fingerprints when you pry them from my cold dead hands!"

[_] "I don't have any fingers, you insensitive clod."

[_] "Fingerprints? I'll give you the finger, all right ..."

[_] (prominently displaying copy of Hustler) "You really want to take my fingerprints? Do you know where my hands have just been?"

[_] "A...CHOO! Oops - do you have a hanky? The kids ain't gonna believe the size of this greener ..."

... etc ...

All this means is more people avoiding the US rather than submit to being treated like criminals unless proven otherwise.

True,

[Anonymous Coward]

I quit my job to avoid traveling to US at the moment. Decided to save the space for terrorists on trans-atlantic flights ;)

What if...

[CrazyKen]

I only had 9 fingers? Would I be able to come to the US??

Re:All the security is for nothing

[Anonymous Coward]

"What's to stop somebody from landing (a watercraft) somewhere along the enormous coastline of Hudson's Bay, and simply hoofing it through the Canadian wilderness"

Two words - Deer Flies.

They BITE! And when they bite, they also take a chunk of meat out of you.

Multiply that by a few hundred times an hour, for weeks on end. You'll be happy to turn yourself in to the nearest cop, if you haven't killed yourself first.

That's not a problem if they're on the no fly list!

Re:If I lived abroad,

[caridon20]

Sorry but removing the foreign turists wont help.

They are the thin ones.

The fat ones that block your wiew are texans :)