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FBI Launches $1 Billion Nationwide Face Recognition System
MrSeb writes "The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has begun rolling out its new $1 billion biometric Next Generation Identification (NGI) system. In essence, NGI is a nationwide database of mugshots, iris scans, DNA records, voice samples, and other biometrics that will help the FBI identify and catch criminals — but it is how this biometric data is captured, through a nationwide network of cameras and photo databases, that is raising the eyebrows of privacy advocates. Until now, the FBI relied on IAFIS, a national fingerprint database that has long been due an overhaul. Over the last few months, the FBI has been pilot testing a face recognition system, which will soon be scaled up (PDF) until it's nationwide. In theory, this should result in much faster positive identifications of criminals and fewer unsolved cases. The problem is, the FBI hasn't guaranteed that the NGI will only use photos of known criminals. There may come a time when the NGI is filled with as many photos as possible, from as many sources as possible, of as many people as possible — criminal or otherwise. Imagine if the NGI had full access to every driving license and passport photo in the country — and DNA records kept by doctors, and iris scans kept by businesses. The FBI's NGI, if the right checks and balances aren't in place, could very easily become a tool that decimates civilian privacy and freedom."
The person who posted this story is a thought criminal. Report to the Ministry of Love immediately.
One more reason to not post stuff on Facebook.
The problem is that cops get points for arresting someone (catch the criminal).
They don't necessarily get points deducted for catching the wrong person.
This database will help them rack up points by finding someone who vaguely matches. All they need to do then is get them to "confess" (aka "plea bargain").
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
How long until Facebook and other considerably large photography aggregators get tapped for their "resources"?
During a 2010 presentationmade by the FBI’s Biometric Center of Intelligence, the FBI said the technology could be used for "identifying subjects in public databases."
Hello, Facebok!
Who thinks this will stop at just helping "the FBI identify and catch criminals"?
This is a bigger threat to privacy than anything in history.
First off the widely reported story is that the NGI will use public surveillance video and photos. The part about including DNA records from private practices is unsubstantiated. Now I for one do not have a problem with them using public surveillance or Driver's License ID's. If you go out in Public, you consent to being watched by the same public and by extension, the Government. It is completely acceptable and good for them to use this legally obtained data in an automated recongnition system. Yes there needs to be checks and balances but the problem doesn lie in the source of the images.
Selling T-Shirts saying, "I've got your false-positive right here..." with a picture of goat.se on the back...
I swear they give me mod points to shut me up.
...walking around outside with a brown paper bag over my head. NOW who's paranoid? FOOLS!!!
Well then I guess I'll have to leave my helmet off for the ride home tonight. Wouldn't want to upset the police!
Since when is it illegal to hide your face in the USA?
Please link to the relevant law. In the winter where I live people regularly wear ski masks.
Also, shouldn't criminals who have served their entire sentence (including parole) be removed from this database?
Hell and blood, the police often have trouble knocking down the right door when they have an address:
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Ex-Miss-Nevada-Sues-LA-Sheriffs-Deputies-Over-Raid-164060136.html
How are they going to behave when this system wrongly identifies an innocent person?
They need a dour look for the facial recognition learning algorithms.
the DMV ended the generation's old custom of allowing people to smile for their drivers license photo.
In the event that such a circumstance comes to pass (or for that matter, has already come to pass), how in the world will you know? The glint off of their shiny new terahertz scanners perhaps?
I'm not particularly interested in this service. Where's the opt-out (do-not-fly) list signup?
greed@All_Evils:~#
Mark Zuckerberg's criminal record has quietly disappeared from the Criminal Record Database. No explanation was forthcoming.
Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.
We have had this in London for years.
Boy, winter comes early to Detroit!
"The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has begun rolling out its new $1 billion biometric Next Generation Identification (NGI) system. In essence, NGI is a nationwide database of mugshots, iris scans, DNA records, voice samples, and other biometrics that will help the FBI identify and catch criminals"
Actually, it's just a more efficient method for the police state to spy on its own citizens . Such methods the Stazi could only dream of. Without the threat of Islamic "terrorism" such methods would never have been acceptable by the population. A relevant question to ask is, who is going to protect us from you?
AccountKiller
Doesn't that word mean to "remove one-tenth of"?
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
I have not checked all states and it probably does vary by state. but this is what I was able to find:
NEW YORK Penal Law 240.35 (4):
Being masked or in any manner disguised by unusual or unnatural attire or facial alteration, loiters, remains or congregates in a public place with other persons so masked or disguised, or knowingly permits or aids persons so masked or disguised to congregate in a public place; except that such conduct is not unlawful when it occurs in connection with a masquerade party or like entertainment if, when such entertainment is held in a city which has promulgated regulations in connection with such affairs, permission is first obtained from the police or other appropriate authorities; (National Lawyers Guild NYC Chapter paper on the anti-mask law)
CA Penal Code Section 185.
It shall be unlawful for any person to wear any mask, false whiskers, or any personal disguise (whether complete or partial) for the purpose of:
One--Evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification
in the commission of any public offense.
Two--Concealment, flight, or escape, when charged with, arrested
for, or convicted of, any public offense.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
that's 2 states, so far. but two biggies. ymmv. offer void where prohibited by law. order by midnight tonite!
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"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
I fall more in the, "if you didn't do anything wrong you have nothing to worry about" camp.
Good, then you'll be easier to find. Put all the sheep in one camp and shave 'em all in one go. I think big Gov. will enjoy doing business with you.
Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'
sorry, this is a better link and it contains a short summary by state:
http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/mcs/maskcodes.html
these states have 'issues', listed:
AL AK AZ AR CA COCT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY
man, that's a LOT.
hope all that modded me down will reconsider your judgement..
and btw, I do NOT agree with this. don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger.
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"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
Look, the FBI doesn't need to build a database when Facebook/Instagram is so pervasive.
So... this comes to light just after Facebook closes on a 1B purchase of Instagram.
Where's that government money going again?
When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras
Did you read it? Only the bolded states have info there: CA, DC, FL, GA, MA, MI, NC, NY, VA, WV
There is a difference from "exact match" and "best match". Getting arrested because you're the only guy with the same colour hair sucks.
I fall more in the, "if you didn't do anything wrong you have nothing to worry about" camp.
And just what makes you thing that you are going to determine what's "wrong"?
In my state you can opt-out of having your picture saved. The DMV worker tries to talk you out of it, but you can do it.
Imagine if the NGI had full access to every driving license...
Let me stop you right there. You can imagine all you want, but I can't ever see the states ever agreeing to a shared ID database. Look at how many states refused to take part in the REAL ID law. At least half the states have flat out refused to comply. Do you think that more than three or four would ever agree to spending state money on an FBI project?
Did you read it? Only the bolded states have info there: CA, DC, FL, GA, MA, MI, NC, NY, VA, WV
Wish I had mod points to give you.
The list the GP provided is simply a list of all the states in the USA. As stated on that page, only a small number (the ones you listed) are known to have anti-mask statutes on the books.
Additionally, the New York law listed by the GGP is all about groups of masked individuals. You could certainly argue about whether or not that's still a bad law; but it's not applicable to a single individual who chooses to wear a mask.
#DeleteChrome
go to a protest in nyc with a facemask on count the seconds until some cops slam your ass and drag you into a cruiser.
so, lets just agree that its:
"greater than zero in most cases and sometimes less than 100."
deal? those that said 'no way' were not correct, but its also not correct to say that all states have this restriction and its the same in every state.
ie, this is NOT a total non-issue in many states.
I think it should be changed, but good luck with that. once a power is taken by the state, it does not come back, easily.
I'm not sure what made me look this law up, several years ago, but I really was surprised to find my state having quite a few restrictions on 'going outside, masked'. I don't study law and so it really was surprising to find that some states object to you cloaking your ID while in public.
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"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
what?
I know legalese can be hard to read through, but the sentences are long because the latter parts of the sentences are fucking important. The NY sounds pretty dated and the CA law is actually what amounts to explicitly stating that wearing a mask or covering your face is perfectly lawful behavior.
I don't understand why anyone would try to spread the idea that it's not.
As a sign of times, FBI should be renamed as iFB.
Come on, iFB, now on your iPad, iPod, iPhone and everything else.
MY OTHER COMMENTS
There are a lot of concerns being voiced, but come on folks... When has the FBI ever been used to track those with opposing political points of view?
Who do you think has inspired all government intelligence agencies ever since? "You mean people will put up with THAT?! All you have to do is dupe them into believing it is for their own safety?! Sweet!"
The way the California code is worded seems to imply that simply wearing a mask is not a crime. It's only a violation if it can be proven that you were wearing a mask/disguise for the purpose of evading identification while 1) committing a public offense, or 2) if you have already been charged or convicted with an offense. In other words, they'd have to prove that you committed some other crime first.
If that's the case, the mask is simply a misdemeanor add-on to whatever your initial crime is, which seems pretty reasonable to me.
The NY one on the other hand sounds a bit scarier... masks are illegal unless you're having a costume party? If so, how did this become law?
I just found the box to change my sig. Um.... [timeless witticism].
I'm not worried. I've stay informed via the FBI proxy broadcast services aka "anonymous*" and know that by tilting my head and carrying a fully illuminated Christmas-tree, I will stroll through the shadows unseen.
Nasrudin walked into a store one day, and the owner greeted him.
“Wait a second,” said Nasrudin. “Have you ever seen me before?”
“Never,” said the man.
“Then how do you know it was me?” replied Nasrudin.
Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
i saw a hip hop show at a bar once. one of the acts was a duo who wore masks as part of their act. they waited outside and when it was time for their set, they rushed in through the crowd, jumped up on stage and started performing. someone parking their car across the street saw them run in, and called the cops describing two masked men rushing into a bar. when the cops showed up they asked the bouncer if he'd seen the two masked men. bouncer pointed at the stage and cop shook his head and left. better safe than sorry, i guess.
insensitive clod overlords obligatory xkcd car analogy russian reversals whoosh pedant fanbois ftfy in 3...2...1..PROFIT
I imagine false positives would be handled by human agents looking at the photograph, then looking at the person's face in real life, and perhaps talking to them.
If you're lucky, you won't spend more than the weekend in jail before they correct their mistake.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
- Benjamin Franklin
First, it's Trapwire. But that's a good question. I don't suppose they will offer a formal answer any time soon, so I will assume it's all connected -- and then some. You might also note that the DHS is quite involved with this NGI thing too. It''s an epic party for the voyeuristic elite and the citizenry aint invited -- a Closed Circuit (Sneak Preview) Authoritarian Freak Feature Presentation.
PS: Although you likely did not intend to refer to Tripwire -- a company involved in IT security -- in regard to the Strafor leaks, it is indeed Trapwire .
Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A
Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
Really there's any credibility to the claim after the .gov can't upgrade an ATC system, scrapped an FBI integration system that simply didn't work and there's any claim the FBI can float state-of-the-art image recognition platform?
They must be slipping again in Arizona.
As an aside, think they consider mirrorshades to be a 'disguise'? How about a suit & tie, since all anybody ever sees me in are polo shirts and jeans?
Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
How do you know they don't save the picture anyway?
The truth or interpretation..
Hallelujah Mr Orwell. Except for the date you were spot on. Sad but true .
In order to form an immaculate member of a flock of sheep one must, above all, be a sheep.
baseball cap (that's two sorry)
Free speech was meant to be free for all... how can anyone grow up in a nanny state ?