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FBI's New Eye Scan Database Raising Eyebrows

Posted by timothy on from the trust-us-we're-from-the-government dept.

mattnyc99 writes "The FBI has confirmed to Popular Mechanics that it's not only adding palm prints to its criminal records, but preparing to balloon its repository of photos, which an agency official says 'could be the basis for our facial recognition.' It's all part of a new biometric software system that could store millions of iris scans within 10 years and has privacy advocates crying foul. Quoting: 'The FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system, which could cost as much as $1 billion over its 10-year life cycle, will create an unprecedented database of biometric markers, such as facial images and iris scans. For criminal investigators, NGI could be as useful as DNA some day — a distinctive scar or a lopsided jaw line could mean the difference between a cold case and closed one. And for privacy watchdogs, it's a dual threat — seen as a step toward a police state, and a gold mine of personal data waiting to be plundered by cybercriminals.'"

5 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. too many movies by ILuvRamen · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I think someone's been watching too many movies. Aren't modern day iris scanners bad for your eyes. Sending crazy bright light directly into a person's eye will obviously damage it if it's done enough times. So all that logging in every day at the government's secret lab stuff is pure science fiction. I think personally doing an iris scan once can destroy enough rods or whatever to make people complain. They shouldn't be using this system and expecting people to be scanned whenever they want them to be.

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    1. Re:too many movies by 26199 · · Score: 5, Informative

      You seem to be talking about retinal scanners -- iris recognition is considerably less intrusive. I don't know about retinal scans being harmful, but I'm quite sure iris recognition isn't.

      (At least, in the superficial physical sense).

    2. Re:too many movies by digitalhermit · · Score: 5, Funny

      Or going outside when the sun is shining.

      What is this "sun" of which you speak?

  2. En Garde by Quattro+Vezina · · Score: 5, Funny

    And for privacy watchdogs, it's a duel threat

    En garde!

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  3. They never would have caught me... by Thelasko · · Score: 5, Funny

    if I hadn't left an image of my retina at the crime scene!

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