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The UAE Claims To Hold the Worlds Largest Biometric Database

Posted by samzenpus on from the biggest-list dept.

another random user writes "The United Arab Emirates holds the largest biometric database in the world, the Emirates Identity Authority has announced. The population register of Emirates ID has over 103 million digital fingerprints and over 15 million digital facial recognition records, which includes multiple records of each UAE resident, and digital signatures as of October 11, senior officials said. Dr. Ali Al Khoury, Director General of Emirates ID, said the authority has submitted an official application to the World Record Academy to recognize this record. Asked about the confirmation of the authority's claims about the world record, an official spokesman of the authority told Gulf News on Sunday: 'We have made worldwide surveys and inquiries with the similar official authorities and agencies of the world governments holding such databases and confirmed that our database is the largest. The World Record Academy also confirmed to us that no other government or authority has made a similar claim for such a record,' he said."

9 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. And they're proud of this because....? by cayenne8 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ok...this is a bragging rights type thing somehow??

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    1. Re:And they're proud of this because....? by man_of_mr_e · · Score: 4, Informative

      Not to mention, It seems it's completely NOT the largest.

      http://www.infowars.com/indias-gargantuan-biometric-database-raises-big-questions/

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    2. Re:And they're proud of this because....? by dkleinsc · · Score: 4, Funny

      In this case, it's also not just the size that counts, but also how they use it.

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    3. Re:And they're proud of this because....? by jeffmeden · · Score: 3, Funny

      Ok...this is a bragging rights type thing somehow??

      Most telling is that they seem to think so... It's akin to vying for the title of "world's largest landfill", it sounds too much like a story from The Onion.

    4. Re:And they're proud of this because....? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Gotta go with Facebook and facial recognition software for the win.

      One. Billion. Users.

  2. Haha by Mitreya · · Score: 4, Insightful

    no other government or authority has made a similar claim for such a record

    Other governments, that may be sued for doing this, are just not advertising their databases.

    1. Re:Haha by anarcobra · · Score: 3, Informative

      The USA fingerprints every foreigner entering the country (at least at airports).
      This policy is nothing new, and has been in place for some years now.

  3. Oh great by mr1911 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now the Dept. of Homeland Security will think it is a contest. More rights violations in 3, 2, ...

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  4. I knew it! by wierd_w · · Score: 4, Funny

    I KNEW those amiga fanbois were up to something! All this time their precious UAE was silently gathering damning personal biometric information on their users, hoping to shame them away from PCs running windows, MacOS and Linux!

    Wait.. what? United Arab Emerates? Not Ubiqutious Amiga Emulator?

    Wait, what? Nothing to do with amiga users at all? Sir, do you know what site this is!? Honestly, what is this world coming to!

    [Note for the humor deprived: there has been so much bullshit pertaining to the middle east lately that I felt some humor was warranted. Deal with it.]