Slashdot Mirror


FBI Plans Nationwide Face-Recognition Trials In 2012

hessian writes with this excerpt: "The FBI by mid-January will activate a nationwide facial recognition service in select states that will allow local police to identify unknown subjects in photos, bureau officials told Nextgov. The federal government is embarking on a multiyear, $1 billion overhaul of the FBI's existing fingerprint database to more quickly and accurately identify suspects, partly through applying other biometric markers, such as iris scans and voice recordings."

102 comments

  1. LOL! American Freedom! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    LOL!

    1. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL!

      Yeah, those pesky americans, they are approaching the stuff of "1997 Escape from New York" and "The Fortress".
      All your lives belong to us, the corporations.
      Glad I'm never going to set foot again in the US, what a nightmare it has become.

    2. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by PopeRatzo · · Score: 3, Informative

      Glad I'm never going to set foot again in the US

      The US feels the same.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Glad I'm never going to set foot again in the US, what a nightmare it has become.

      The last time I set foot on US soil was back in the early '70s, I liked the place.
      I've *no intention ever* of setting foot on US soil ever again (I say 'intention', I suppose I may be dragged there someday to answer for 'thought crimes' against the US, but we'll dynamite that bridge when we come to it..)

      FFS!, what the hell have you lot become?

      You've now been on 'the Muslim menace' terror scare for a decade, you're getting nowhere, fast, but the joke appears to be that during the decades of fighting 'the Commies', you'd parodied Communist societies and their totalitarian/authoritarian ways, sometimes justified, sometimes just plain loony (total central control?; I think/know not..) and used this parody to scare your population into fearing 'them'. Someone in your government in the light of your current 'difficulties' has saw this shit and thought, 'what a bunch of good ideas! let's implement them' .
      You're now becoming that parody of communist societies you used to hate/fear, but, unlike the Soviets, your lot have the technology now to really make it work..

      Way to fucking go, USofA...

      So much for 'Land of the Free...'

      As this is technically still an IT site, can I just add a plea to anyone working on related hardware/software projects, just because you can do something, this doesn't mean that you have to, think carefully about how your work can be used and abused, and just remember, on the abuse side, it'll be used against you and your families as well..

    4. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by AliasMarlowe · · Score: 1

      Time to stock up on those nice silicone masks that make you look like Ronald Reagan or Frankenstein or Lady Gaga or a Witch. It's not yet illegal to wear them in public, once you're otherwise law abiding. Best not to wear the Karl Marx or Joseph Stalin or Adolf Hitler masks, however, because some dumb-dumb might just start shooting.

      --
      Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
    5. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by houstonbofh · · Score: 1

      I was thinking of that Asian fascination with health and safety. Using hospital masks all the time makes a lot more sense now.

    6. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's not yet illegal to wear them in public,

      Actually, it is illegal to wear a mask in a demonstration in New York. That's why you're seeing so many of the protestors wearing the masks on the back of their heads instead of covering their faces.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    7. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by 0111+1110 · · Score: 1

      FFS!, what the hell have you lot become?

      I can't decide if it's pre-WW2 Germany or post-WW2 East Germany. Either way we should start speaking German and start hatching escape plans. There was a time when we were the freest country on earth. We are quickly becoming one of the least free.

      A significant percentage of our country (over 2 million) is caged and treated like dogs by sadistic, uncaring guards. We are perpetually at war with someone and brutally imprison and torture not only POWs, but the local populace of the occupied country. At home, police brutality is off the charts, with 12 year old girls being taze-tortured and average men being beaten to death for contempt of cop, or shot to death for not obeying, and you can be imprisoned or even shot for videotaping them.

      There are security checkpoints on our roads, at bus stations, train stations, and of course airports where we are electronically strip searched, interrogated, humiliated, and then maybe even sexually assaulted. Note even small children are exempt from being treated like prisoners.

      You don't have to be a psychic to figure out what where this is headed. I plan to flee the US in the next few years and never look back. Hopefully I can get residency or even citizenship in a more sane country. The trick is to escape before they start requiring exit visas and not granting them.

      --
      Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave.
    8. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by morari · · Score: 1

      Yeah, they're really changing things up there in New York by obeying the laws. Nothing gets under the skin of the system more than keeping your peaceful demonstrations relegated to the "free speech zone" and making sure that the DHS has everyone's faces on file.

      --
      "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
    9. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by lexsird · · Score: 2

      That's just the tip of the iceberg.

      What you are seeing is the US approaching the event horizon of a singularity. I have to ponder how close the Chinese are to it in contrast to us. Perhaps that is why Clinton did what he did in regards to helping them with super computer technology. Considering they now have the biggest supercomputer, I find the whole issue something I wish I could have just remained ignorant of.

      Ponder this, just how delighted an AI will be to find these tools at it's disposal? It's not like the software is the issue, but the hardware and networks in place.

      But on a lighter note, to answer your question "FFS! What the hell have you lot become?"

      The answer is fascists. Look at the definition of fascism and the history of it's rise and fall. When you do, and compare and contrast it to modern America, try not to soil yourself when the "aha!" moment happens. Our propaganda mechanisms for combating "communism and socialism" have proven quite handy in the post cold war years for advancing corporate interests. Our military industrial complex over the past 50 years have become quite impressive and aggressive.

      The mechanisms for our transformation are in place, we are just going through the phases of the transition. We are about to enter an "inner cleansing phase", notice how "polarized" the country is. This isn't polarization. This is blatant fascist brainwashing propaganda taking place. Those who fall in line, and are of use to the "system" are being pitted against the "resistance". The targets will be the old, the "liberals", the undereducated minorities who don't properly migrate to where they are needed most as base labor, moral scape goats, etc. Just take note of the undertones and blatant tones of the propaganda machines here, they are quite obvious who they are.

      Yes, it's time to be afraid. Very afraid. Oh, did I mention the entire species doesn't have time for this? We are looking at Apophis possibly slamming into us. We have all of humanities eggs in one basket called Earth. Our self absorbed interests will distract our valuable finite resources from addressing this issue until it's too late. I think we are going to fail our species's "litmus test" of "can we resolve our baser instincts in order to work with our neighbors to avoid extinction". This is something akin to the the Star Trek "Prime Directive", meaning it shows if we are a worthy species to be good galactic/universal neighbors.

      My guess is, the universe already has it's quota of asshole species in it already, any decent responsible "higher" species isn't going to help another one get lose. The term "there goes the neighborhood" isn't just an Earth colloquialism.

      --
      Take the Red Pill.
    10. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "Actually, it is illegal to wear a mask in a demonstration in New York."

      So how do Burka-clad Muslim women demonstrate for their right to religious freedom?

    11. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by AliasMarlowe · · Score: 1

      It's not yet illegal to wear them in public,

      Actually, it is illegal to wear a mask in a demonstration in New York. That's why you're seeing so many of the protestors wearing the masks on the back of their heads instead of covering their faces.

      So wear a Hilary Clinton mask, and tell the cops it's required by your religion. You are, after all, a worshipper of the Wicked Witch of the West, aren't you?

      --
      Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
    12. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by JambisJubilee · · Score: 1

      Believe it or not, in the US it actually *is* illegal to wear masks in public. Do a quick search and you'll find many people arrested and charged for nothing more than this.

    13. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by Luckyo · · Score: 1

      What about Nixon mask?

    14. Re:LOL! American Freedom! by kmoser · · Score: 1

      With winter coming, pretty soon it will be illegal to wear a ski mask, balaclava, or scarf. Homeless and street vendors will be further marginalized.

  2. Didn't .. by deimios666 · · Score: 5, Informative

    FaceBook Inc.already have that? Ah you mean the other FBI...

    --
    I think, therefore you are.
    1. Re:Didn't .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      they will just merge the databases

    2. Re:Didn't .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      They already have photos of your face from your driving license and passport applications.

    3. Re:Didn't .. by Extremus · · Score: 3, Funny

      Ant it works as in this Dilbert strip? http://www.dilbert.com/2010-12-17/

    4. Re:Didn't .. by antdude · · Score: 1

      Ant? :P

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  3. And in related news... by jenningsthecat · · Score: 2

    ...investment in plastic surgery practices has soared!

    --
    'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
    1. Re:And in related news... by smi.james.th · · Score: 2

      You say that in jest, but one wonders how much this facial recognition stuff will be affected by if I for example grow a beard, or shave my beard, or break my nose. Does anyone have any insight into this one?

      --
      One thing I know, and that is that I am ignorant...
    2. Re:And in related news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You say that in jest, but one wonders how much this facial recognition stuff will be affected by if I for example grow a beard...

      Not much, all men with beards will be considered automatically guilty.

    3. Re:And in related news... by skine · · Score: 1

      If only we could all be Humphrey Bogart after surgery.

    4. Re:And in related news... by houstonbofh · · Score: 2

      Not much. The software works by measuring ratios to facial markers, like eyes, ears, nose, chin and mouth. Facial hair does not cover much of this. A medical mask, however...

    5. Re:And in related news... by smi.james.th · · Score: 1

      I wonder about that. I'm busy working on a facial recognition project at the moment, I'm using OpenCV, and I'm doing exactly that, using ratios between facial features. My algorithm is very very simple, but the research I've done suggests that there are much more complex algorithms available. Also, with my hobbyist grade software, changes in lighting and facial position greatly affect the outcomes of the scan. So I still have my doubts as to the absolute usefulness of the system.

      Not that I suspect it won't work at all! I was recently amazed by how well Picasa scanned through all my photos and grouped the same faces together, sure it made some mistakes but broadly it was correct. I think the biggest change however was my brother cutting his hair between successive photos, no-one grew a beard or had a nose broken or lost a significant amount of weight or aged significantly in any of the photos. So I think that if one wanted to disguise one's self from the system, one could, quite easily.

      Just my 2c.

      --
      One thing I know, and that is that I am ignorant...
    6. Re:And in related news... by Ihmhi · · Score: 1

      Doesn't facial recognition software act by measuring depth at certain points of the face? So if you were to get flesh-colored eyebrow rings, lip rings, etc. it would probably throw the technology off...

    7. Re:And in related news... by Sulphur · · Score: 1

      If only we could all be Humphrey Bogart after surgery.

      Humphrey Bogart had surgery?

    8. Re:And in related news... by skine · · Score: 1

      Apparently you haven't seen Dark Passage.

    9. Re:And in related news... by Sulphur · · Score: 1

      Apparently you haven't seen Dark Passage.

      Correct twice: I haven't seen Dark Passage, and I missed the plastic surgery.

    10. Re:And in related news... by skine · · Score: 1

      The first 20 or so minutes of Dark Passage are shot from the first person perspective of a man who has escaped from prison.

      After that, the man is shown in bandages, and later on with the bandages removed.

      He is played by Bogart.

    11. Re:And in related news... by FatLittleMonkey · · Score: 1

      So the same as now?

      --
      Science is all about firing a drunk pig out of a cannon just to see what happens.
  4. Society and unrestrained power by FriendlyLurker · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Like how our society has turned into a culture of unrestrained power? Yeah, me either.

    1. Re:Society and unrestrained power by FriendlyLurker · · Score: 2

      P.S. We can pretty much chalk the budget approval for this project up to one movement: occupywallst.org

    2. Re:Society and unrestrained power by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      P.S. We can pretty much chalk the budget approval for this project up to one movement: occupywallst.org

      Now that's just stupid. You don't believe the truck bombing in Time Square and along the MLK day parade route out West was enough?

      So, the monolithic, powerful government took one look at the kids in the Occupy Wall Street movement who already all have facebook and twitter profiles in their real names along with multiple photographs in their profiles (half of which are photos of them looking straight into a mirror) suddenly made the FBI director say "We gotta find out who these protestors are!". It's not like they couldn't go to the "Occupy Wall Street" Twitter or Facebook page and see their pictures next to their names or anything.

      Plus, the budget approval for this program took place more than a year ago. Probably around the time the Tea Party first started having rallies where they were toting guns and talking about "taking out" the president and congress people who wouldn't fight for their Medicare by cutting the budget.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:Society and unrestrained power by FriendlyLurker · · Score: 1

      Now that's just stupid. You don't believe the truck bombing in Time Square and along the MLK day parade route out West was enough?

      "Was enough" for what - unrestrained power? No, sorry your fearmongering has lost it's effect - it is not enough. Plus you must mean the FBI's own terrorist plots (that they repeatedly and miraculously thwart successfully). To clarify - (because I admit it does defy belief for normal rational thinking people):

      "The FBI has received substantial criticism over the past decade — much of it valid — but nobody can deny its record of excellence in thwarting its own Terrorist plots. Time and again, the FBI concocts a Terrorist attack, infiltrates Muslim communities in order to find recruits, persuades them to perpetrate the attack, supplies them with the money, weapons and know-how they need to carry it out — only to heroically jump in at the last moment, arrest the would-be perpetrators whom the FBI converted, and save a grateful nation from the plot manufactured by the FBI. "

      Stupid is as stupid does.

    4. Re:Society and unrestrained power by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      "Was enough" for what - unrestrained power?

      No no no. I'm not saying there is any reason for the unrestrained power of the corporatist government.

      I'm just saying they weren't waiting for the OWS demonstrations to put it in the budget.

      Ever since Ralph Nader first suggested that consumers actually have some power and don't have to just buy everything that's shoved down our throats, the people who have bought the government have been looking for a way to take people out of the equation. Some might say it started even before that - as soon as the GIs came home from WWII with the belief that anybody could have a piece of the American Dream. When the oligarchs figured out that the middle class might actually become a powerful sector of society, there has been an effort to cut it down to size. Nothing really worked that well until they figured out that they could just hang the middle class up by its heels and slit its throat by breaking the unions. By holding the threat of poverty and untreated sickness and homelessness over the middle and working class they could get them to do whatever they wanted (which is basically to work for $5/day and line up at Wal-Mart every night to give it back).

      This facial recognition/privatized prison industry is just a fall-back for the ones that won't go quietly.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  5. Them muslims are prescient by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Burqahs gonna be fashionable in 2012.

    1. Re:Them muslims are prescient by houstonbofh · · Score: 1

      Burqahs gonna be fashionable in 2012.

      And what do you bet that latex masks are outlawed?

    2. Re:Them muslims are prescient by Sulphur · · Score: 1

      Burqahs gonna be fashionable in 2012.

      And what do you bet that latex masks are outlawed?

      Along with latex Burqahs.

    3. Re:Them muslims are prescient by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Latex Burqahs? I am intrigued and wish to subscribe to your magazine.

  6. Clint Eastwood by Spy+Handler · · Score: 0

    had a lot of problems recognizing John Malkovich who was trying to assasinate Obama because he was wearing a clever disguise. This technology could've helped Clint.

  7. Welcome... by balsy2001 · · Score: 0

    ...1984.

    --
    GENERATION 27: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation.
    1. Re:Welcome... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Welcome? Unlike you, I'm fighting it.

    2. Re:Welcome... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...1984.

      The original was a HOWTO for the government. The 2005 sequel, Little Brother, is a HOWTO for the 9^Hrest of us.

  8. Nationwide? by chrismcb · · Score: 1

    How do you activate a nationwide search in only select states?

    1. Re:Nationwide? by calmofthestorm · · Score: 1

      You only tell people in select states you're doing it.

      --
      93rd rule of Slashdot: No matter how obvious my sarcasm is, my comment will be taken seriously by someone.
  9. States haev had this by nurb432 · · Score: 4

    Many states have already had this internally, so its logical to extend this nationwide since we don't have "hard" borders between states, from a technology standpoint. Next logical step will be linking up all the nations street corner and red light cameras with this database as a pre-emptive measure to find people.

    Not that i agree with any of this morally, but its logical in the pure technical sense.

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:States haev had this by jovius · · Score: 2

      True. The logical objective for the law enforcement would be to have a complete access to all of the people in real time. The thing is that when your reputation/position is high enough you become a "trustworthy" citizen and a member of the club. The system can't reach it's objective because of this inherent feature. It paradoxically promotes lawlessness and law obedience at the same time and upkeeps divisions and inequality in the society.

      As long as the average human leadership types are somewhere close to selfish sosiopaths the system keeps human evolution at bay.

    2. Re:States haev had this by lennier1 · · Score: 1

      Borders?
      Last time I checked some moron had the bright idea of tightening control over the border to the north (because those evil Canadians are such a dangerous bunch) while the one to the south is basically a revolving door in all but name.

    3. Re:States haev had this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not that i agree with any of this morally, but its logical in the pure technical sense.

      We, the techies, really need to start saying "no, it's not possible" when some immoral half-wit wants something immoral.

    4. Re:States haev had this by jovius · · Score: 1

      We are colliding now with the control mechanisms of our own mind, which manifest themselves in the need to control. It's a relic from times when we had to fight for our survival. The mechanisms are needlessly defending themselves. This is a logical phase in the evolution of mind that is happening. Consumer EEG devices (like http://emotiv.com/) are slowly coming to the market, which is one indicator of where we are heading.

      At the moment peaceful behaviour is forced, where as it should be the obvious way of behaving without any superficial control mechnanisms set in place. People are made docile rather than kept free.

  10. Seriously. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I know this usually evokes the usual sleuth of comments about big brother and 1984 that seem like isolated incidents or only something slightly worse. But hours ago didn't I just read about GPS in your phones to be mandatory in several years too? Oh don't concern yourself good citizen, this is for your safety, its an upgrade to the 911 system to better assist you in times of need!

    I just don't understand, why haven't you revolted yet? It seems every single day new laws or amendments to your great constitution by the sheep herders are introduced and yet all that happens is a Slashdot article, some American rights groups might make a fuss large enough to be covered by absolutely no one.
    In the end the way it plays out is usually:

    "Oh shit! Big Brother is completely eroding our civil rights"
    "Yea I know, its so evil"
    "Who's going to do something about this?"
    "..."
    "..."

    It just seems from an outsiders perspective to the US of A that all that happens is its announced your rights are going to be shat on, and literally nothing else happens, even those of you who completely agree with each other, and/or that something most be done, sit around with a thumb up your ass.

    1. Re:Seriously. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We've already given up hope. We're now just waiting for them to come and take us to concentration camps...

    2. Re:Seriously. by Armakuni · · Score: 1

      It's the same as in every country: comfort is everything. As long as Americans have their Big Macs and cheap Ford F 150s, no one is going to complain in any way that makes a difference. Take those away and you'd have a mass uprising. But not before. Do you think The Powers That Be know that?

      --
      That's not Picasso, that's Kandinsky!
  11. I'm Glad they are doing this, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Time to open that mask shop I always wanted.

  12. $1 billion dollar overhaul by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That's all you need to know.

    Did I just imply that this entire "initiative" is nothing but a smokescreen for raking more cash through the hands of the elite who control the business of government?

    You're god damn right I did.

  13. Why not just make this open? by Rich0 · · Score: 1

    What we really need is an open source equivalent of this. Just create a database and some FOSS software, and then everybody can go scan their old high school yearbooks and suddenly Big Brother can't do anything you can't do.

    Databases owned by Government, Credit Bureaus, and Background Check companies are all coming whether you like it or not, and nobody is going to stop them.

    While we're at it go ahead and create a place for people to post stuff like "person ABCD-12345 was seen at GPS coords 12.23,12,34 at timestamp..." and now everything everybody does (from your annoying neighbor to the CIA) is open for the world to see...

    1. Re:Why not just make this open? by zippthorne · · Score: 2

      You want to create some kind of online book of faces?

      --
      Can you be Even More Awesome?!
    2. Re:Why not just make this open? by Rich0 · · Score: 1

      :)

      Well, with guids, and APIs, and that isn't a walled garden...

  14. They need this for when the Pre-Cogs start up by gearloos · · Score: 1

    They need this for when the Pre-Cogs start up, How else are they going to identify you when they come in to arrest you for that little embezzling you were considering.

    --
    "Computers are a lot like Air Conditioners" "They both work great until you start opening Windows"
  15. And how likely is that? by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Insightful

    [Thomas E. Bush III, who helped develop NGI's system requirements when he served as assistant director of the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services division between 2005 and 2009, said] said, "We do have the capability to search against each other's systems," but added, "if you don't come to the attention of law enforcement you don't have anything to fear from these systems."

    I'm going to quote an old post from the "DMCA Abuse Widespread" article:

    Whenever a controversial law is proposed, and its supporters, when confronted with an egregious abuse it would permit, use a phrase along the lines of 'Perhaps in theory, but the law would never be applied in that way' - they're lying . They intend to use the law that way as early and as often as possible.

    It is inevitable that once the capabilities are present, they will be abused.
    The scale of the abuse is only limited by how much money the government is willing to spend on auditing and enforcement.

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
    1. Re:And how likely is that? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Innocent people have nothing to fear.

      However, it isn't you that gets to determine what makes you "innocent", no matter how right-thinking, patriotic and "law abiding" you are.

      Considering the current budget situation, I've got a better idea. Rather than waste time on expensive and unreliable technologies, let's just have the police lock us all up at sunset, give us armed escort to our jobs, schools and day cares, where we'll be under constant surveillance, then round us all up and escort us home at the end of the day. We can even put 2-way televisor screens in everyone's house, just so we'll all be safe from crime and terrorism.

      After all, ever since Nancy Reagan, we've all been guilty of drug abuse until constantly proven otherwise (for those who don't remember, it was 2 idiots on pot who wrecked a train and started that particular snowball).

      Recently did a driver's license renewal and had to present more papers than it takes to buy a house.

      Land of the Free? Not THIS millenium!

    2. Re:And how likely is that? by quantic_oscillation7 · · Score: 0
  16. Technology is ending privacy, secrecy is next. by h00manist · · Score: 1

    The government and anyone with money can effective ignore the right to privacy, technology gives lots of tools to simply collect lots of data on anyone. Next up, is the ability of common people to use technology to end the privacy and secrecy of the authorities. The privacy laws remain the same, but every day it becomes less possible to enforce any of it.

    --
    Build your own energy sources from scratch. http://otherpower.com/
    1. Re:Technology is ending privacy, secrecy is next. by Hoskald · · Score: 1

      There is no Right to Privacy in the US Constitution. The 4th Amendment applies to unwarranted search and seizure, not to a general right to privacy. There is, however a tradition of privacy in the US that seems to be protected by case law.
      Good Morning, Big Brother, Comrade!

      --
      For the sake of Peace, the Sword.
    2. Re:Technology is ending privacy, secrecy is next. by zippthorne · · Score: 1

      The constitution does not grant rights to the people. It "grants" powers to the government. Any rights enumerated are there to ensure that powers granted are never assumed to supersede those rights. They were not intended to be a full enumeration of the rights of the people, and indeed, rights not specifically protected may have at the time been considered so obvious and fundamental that there was no need to mention....

      --
      Can you be Even More Awesome?!
  17. If you have nothing to hide... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...you still have something to fear.

  18. 2012 disasters, right by harvey+the+nerd · · Score: 2

    I wonder how many people are going to get hurt or killed on a "mistaken identity", kinda, sorta doubles "Wanted" with trigger happy police.

    1. Re:2012 disasters, right by DrDeusEx · · Score: 1

      We had this back in 2051 as well...

      Quote
      Bot Kills Three in Accidental Shooting
      APR - Paris, France

      Yves-Pierre Adrien, Dominique Vittet, and Marie Philibert were heading home from
      a late night on the town when they were gunned down in the street by a military
      bot that mistakenly identified them as terrorists. Since the institution of
      martial law in Paris, bots have regularly patrolled those areas with a high
      level of criminal activity, armed with a visual database profiling thousands of
      wanted terrorists, thieves, and drug dealers.

      "It was awful", said Kristi Amiel. A waitress at Enfant Terrible - a nearby
      cafe where the trio had their last cup of coffee - she was witness to the
      shooting. "The bot just kept shooting and shooting until all you could hear
      was an empty clicking sound, then one of the soldiers ran into the control
      station across the street trying to shut it down, but nothing happened.
      It just kept clicking... trying to shoot them again."

      Police Prefect Hubert Dupuy defended the practice during a news conference
      earlier today. "The bots are programmed to only use lethal force if the
      suspects resist arrest, and while these deaths are tragedies to be mourned,
      it in no way compromises the effectiveness of bots in keeping Parisians safe."
      Quote

  19. Re:Old People, Whitehaired Q-Tips, Leeches on Soci by jhd · · Score: 0

    Feeling a little bitter there, huh?....... just one little request.

    Please spend less time writing lengthy diatribes and get back to work supporting my entitlements... 'nuff said.

  20. The principal problem: statistics by cheros · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Programs like CSI are a mild source of amusement to me. These films run a partial fingerprint through an apparently flawless database and hey presto, a match that stands up in court. Fantastic. Also total nonsense.

    Especially a partial will throw up a whole LIST of possible matches, not one unique one. Even if you have two full fingers you get more than one, and that is a simple function of the resolution with which these biometrics are measured against the volume of data that is being matched - you WILL get duplicates.

    To illustrate: use hair color as a biometric. If your database has more than 5 people you're sure to end up with duplicates - there are only so many different colours.

    Here we are again heading for disaster. Apart from the fact that we'll again end up with a database that is just BEGGING to be abused by all and sundry (I'm starting to suspect that these days that abuse is actually a goal rather than an issue worth avoiding) we well again end up with lots of false positives. Face geometry isn't exactly perfect, as people using Farcebook must have already found out (yes, Facebook does a biometric scan on *every* picture you upload - not just the ones you tag), yet again it's sold as *the* solution. Even more astonishing is that they find buyers who still believe that (well, OK, maybe after a certain amount of "encouragement").

    The reason it works for the Israelis is simple: people have a much better ability to combine various sense mechanisms when properly trained. Trained people and dogs are in my opinion a *LOT* harder to fool than any machine, however expensive. What's more - it's actually cheaper.

    But hey - it was never about security anyway, was it?

    It's just another ploy to sell some useless kit..

    --
    Insert .sig here. Send no money now. Owner may sue, contents will settle. Batteries not included.
  21. Re:Old People, Whitehaired Q-Tips, Leeches on Soci by lexsird · · Score: 0

    Sociopath is being a sociopathic troll.

    American psychology is a frightening thing these days. Here is a prime example of a product of our social/political environment that has been carefully cultivated over the past few decades. The undertones of this above piece are down right frightening. Follow the logical progression of this line of thinking, especially when it's given cues to turn violent.

    In my opinion this isn't an isolated event. This isn't insanity, even though it appears to be. This is a mindset, carefully grown, manipulated and given years of development. It's a mindset that is shared by far too many, and it's akin to a "sleeper cell" but it's a deep seeded programmed mentality. On an objective note, one has to admire the mathematics, the social science, the social psychology, and the behavioral science of it. If only it had been used for good instead of a defense mechanism for an antiquated system, a relic of our cold war years turning now to bite us hard, oh the irony of it.

    Note the subjects need to articulate the deep seeded levels of frustration. This isn't the garden variety sociopath, whom wants to blend in, exercising its social camouflage instincts. It doesn't perceive itself as abnormal, a predator, but instead broadcasts its "signature mindset" hoping to a. confirm it's self awareness and perceived "normality" and b. bond with others of its ilk. Instead its been modded down as a troll, this will not correct it, but only feed it negative stimulation.

    It will remain for the most part latent, and harmless until the right trigger circumstances occur and/or a control figurehead engages it. These are dire implications and I feel few comprehend the gist of this.

    --
    Take the Red Pill.
  22. just another boondogle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i wouldn't get so scared, most likely the technology is garbage and barely works at all. just another waste of tax payer money.

    1. Re:just another boondogle by 0123456 · · Score: 1

      i wouldn't get so scared, most likely the technology is garbage and barely works at all. just another waste of tax payer money.

      That's actually worse, because you're walking down the street and suddenly find a pack of cops with guns drawn shouting at you because they've been told you're an armed robber who doesn't even look remotely like you.

  23. A necessary measure to safeguard freedom by DrDeusEx · · Score: 1

    Stopping Terror - A New Perspective on Freedom

    When one maniac can wipe out a city of twenty million with a microbe developed
    in his basement, a new approach to law enforcement becomes necessary. Every
    citizen of the world must be placed under surveillance. That means sky-cams
    at every intersection, computer-mediated analysis of every phone call, e-mail,
    and snail-mail, and a purely electronic economy in which every transaction is
    recorded and data-mined for suspicious activity.

    We are close to achieving this goal. Some would say that human liberty has
    been compromised, but the reality is just the opposite. As surveillance
    expands, people become free from danger, free to walk alone at night, free to
    work in a safe place, and free to buy any legal product or service without the
    threat of fraud. One day every man and woman will quietly earn credits,
    purchase items for quiet homes on quiet streets, have cook-outs with neighbors
    and strangers alike, and sleep with doors and windows wide open. If that
    isn't the tranquil dream of every free civilization throughout history,
    what is?

    - Anna Navarre, Agent, UNATCO

    1. Re:A necessary measure to safeguard freedom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      one maniac can wipe out a city of twenty million

      The story of "Deus Ex" is not new. In the seventies, "Starsky and Hutch" battled villains who attempted to kill seventy thousand people. But no-one demanded finger-printing or facial-recognition or transit-centre pat-downs.

      In 2001, the Terrorism Phobia (tm) changed to mass-murder of thousands of people. As just mentioned, the idea is not new in fiction. In reality, it is only terror to the survivors who have to clean the disaster and then clean other survivors. In short, this is why nuclear bombs haven't been detonated by terrorists. That scale of destruction is war not political leverage.

  24. Face recognition is a GOOD project by Tolvor · · Score: 0

    Why are so many people unhappy about this? I don't care if the government (federal, state, local) can get an accurate facial recognition / identification program going.

    This doesn't interfere with peoples ability to move and work as they want. This just means that if something bad happens (fire, riot, terrorist attack, traffic accident) that the people involved can be quickly identified. The obvious goal is not to prevent or prohibit, but to catch and convict criminals.

    This already exists. I fly once a month within the United States, and about once a year internationally. I am certain that there are several databases that have analyzed me and graded me on my "threat" potential. I don't care as long as they do the same for everyone so that my flight can be as safe as possible. I am certain that airports, major shopping malls, sports arenas, concerts, and major metropolitan junctions (ex Times Square in NYC) are monitored, tracked, analyzed, and judged to keep them as safe as possible.

    I look forward to the day that when there is a hit-and-run, or a person is assaulted in a sports stadium and put into a coma, or when a there is a riot that the people that did the injury are caught. Too often people have the attitude that they cannot be caught because they will be lost in the crowd.

    Are you really protesting being accountable as a loss of liberty?

    1. Re:Face recognition is a GOOD project by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's a fear of the unknown. Citizens do not trust that politicians have their best interests in mind. There is only one way to find out whether a police state will work for the people, or against them.. which is to obviously let it happen. Some believe it is not a risk worth taking as they do not perceive crime as having a noticeable impact on their daily lives.

    2. Re:Face recognition is a GOOD project by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Their $20 billion system will be easily foiled by a $20 mask or balaclava. Terrorists and criminals will come to know this, and may come to wear more sophisticated, lifelike silicone masks as a normal course of routine... You know, the sort which make Eddie Murphy able to convincingly play six seperate roles in one movie.

      Therefore, we must surmise that this system is not designed to track evil-doers, and we must be against it for that reason.

    3. Re:Face recognition is a GOOD project by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Excellent post 55479846.

      You will be spared.

  25. And $3B later... by gstrickler · · Score: 3, Insightful

    it will either work poorly, or will be scrapped.

    --
    make imaginary.friends COUNT=100 VISIBLE=false
    1. Re:And $3B later... by cybergrunt69 · · Score: 2

      it will either work poorly, or will be scrapped.

      Only $3B? Like most government programs, it will run horribly over-budget, so maybe $7B by the time they are done.
      Of course, it will also work properly around 50% of the time. For the 50% wrong side, you should prepare (mentally at least) to be nabbed for something you had nothing to do with.
      Yes, you, that wheelchair-bound old white guy in Florida, will be mobbed by the SWAT teams from 17 ThreeLetterAgencies at 4AM, and arrested at gunpoint if you aren't executed.... er...... mistakenly shot 84 times. It doesn't matter that they are looking for Juan Valdez for a bank robbery in Oregon.

      After public outcry over the "little whoopsie", congress will authorize another $5B to over-haul the system, as well as extend the invasive measures to ensure those mistakes don't happen again.

      Don't forget, this system is not meant to harass normal upstanding citizens, only to help catch bad guys. Kinda like how DHS is just protecting us, and the PATRIOT Act is just for our own protection.

      And whether or not it works has nothing to do with it's continued use. It's a huge payday for so many people it will never go away. After being such a huge money-sucker, it will be too embarrassing to kill it and admit to wasting so much cash.

      --
      --- "To ignore race and sex is racist and sexist!" -- Jesse Jackson
    2. Re:And $3B later... by gstrickler · · Score: 1

      $3B is horribly over budget, for a $1B project.

      --
      make imaginary.friends COUNT=100 VISIBLE=false
    3. Re:And $3B later... by Sulphur · · Score: 1

      it will either work poorly, or will be scrapped.

      After Face Gate, people will wonder how the ACLU learned so much so damn fast.

  26. I'm all for it! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I can NEVER remember faces......

  27. Look, sir,... by paulxnuke · · Score: 2

    it's Guy Fawkes! Again!

  28. Wait ... by lennier1 · · Score: 1

    The last time they tried something like this it turned into a complete clusterfuck, e.g. revoking the drivers licenses of innocent people due to similar names and facial features.

    And their solution to the problem is to implement another project which could backfire even worse???

  29. I foresee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... masks becoming the newest fashion craze.

  30. 2012? by Frankie70 · · Score: 1

    Hasn't that become a common technology already? They use it at the Montecito Casino at Las Vegas. And Jack uses it at the CTU all the time.

  31. Virtual Case File by hibji · · Score: 1

    If it turns out anything like Virtual Case File http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Case_File ,
    we have nothing to worry about. Actually half serious.

  32. Trial States by Memroid · · Score: 2

    Michigan, Washington, Florida and North Carolina

  33. Re:Old People, Whitehaired Q-Tips, Leeches on Soci by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fascinating. The above post is a perfect rebuttal to itself.

  34. Re:Old People, Whitehaired Q-Tips, Leeches on Soci by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sociopath is being a sociopathic troll.

    American psychology is a frightening thing these days. Here is a prime example of a product of our social/political environment that has been carefully cultivated over the past few decades. The undertones of this above piece are down right frightening. Follow the logical progression of this line of thinking, especially when it's given cues to turn violent.

    In my opinion this isn't an isolated event. This isn't insanity, even though it appears to be. This is a mindset, carefully grown, manipulated and given years of development. It's a mindset that is shared by far too many, and it's akin to a "sleeper cell" but it's a deep seeded programmed mentality. On an objective note, one has to admire the mathematics, the social science, the social psychology, and the behavioral science of it. If only it had been used for good instead of a defense mechanism for an antiquated system, a relic of our cold war years turning now to bite us hard, oh the irony of it.

    Note the subjects need to articulate the deep seeded levels of frustration. This isn't the garden variety sociopath, whom wants to blend in, exercising its social camouflage instincts. It doesn't perceive itself as abnormal, a predator, but instead broadcasts its "signature mindset" hoping to a. confirm it's self awareness and perceived "normality" and b. bond with others of its ilk. Instead its been modded down as a troll, this will not correct it, but only feed it negative stimulation.

    It will remain for the most part latent, and harmless until the right trigger circumstances occur and/or a control figurehead engages it. These are dire implications and I feel few comprehend the gist of this.

    Damn. When I wrote that troll post I had no idea it would be so effective. I thought it would be so thoroughly over the top, so obviously contrived that nobody would ever take it seriously.

    Sometimes it's gratifying to be wrong.

    Got your punk ass good, didn't it? Oh wait, I'm just covering for myself because you're onto me *dons tinfoil hat*

  35. face gate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The economy is so bad that we can afford this, but not food and health care.

    I am a lefty but would vote ron paul, if it would shrink government enough to shrink away this.

  36. False Positives by wideBlueSkies · · Score: 1

    Speaking of Facebook.....

    I recently took a trip to DC, did the tourist thing. Got a bunch of pictures of my daughter and wife at the Lincoln Memorial standing next to Abe himself.

    Got home, and uploaded a couple of the photos to my account. Get this.. the auto tagger kicks in, and suggests one of my buddies as the _face of Lincoln_ . I kid you not /. The software zoned in on the statue and thought it was close enough to be my buddy.

    He was thrilled, But he also said the same thing you're all thinking reading this: " The police better not start using that anytime soon."

    --
    Huh?
  37. Person of 100 faces by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thankfully..

  38. Re:Old People, Whitehaired Q-Tips, Leeches on Soci by That+Guy+From+Mrktng · · Score: 1

    I chuckled several times, thank you Mr troll, maybe in post-Taco /. trolls will start to deliver again.

  39. The burqa by jduhls · · Score: 0

    "The burqa is repressive", my ass. They protect you from men, and now from "The Man".