Slashdot Mirror
Leaked Document Reveals Upcoming Biometric Experiments At US Customs
sarahnaomi sends word of new biometric technologies coming to U.S. entry points. "The facial recognition pilot program launched last week by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which civil liberties advocates say could lead to new potentially privacy-invading programs, is just the first of three biometric experiments that the feds are getting ready to launch. The three experiments involve new controversial technologies like iris and face scanner kiosks, which CBP plans to deploy at the Mexican border, and facial recognition software, according to a leaked document obtained by Motherboard. All three pilots are part of a broader Customs and Border Protection program to modernize screenings at American entry and exit ports, including at the highly politicized Mexican border, with the aid of new biometric technologies. The program is known as Apex Air Entry and Exit Re-Engineering Project, according to the leaked slides. These pilot programs have the goal of "identifying and implementing" biometric technologies that can be used at American borders to improve the immigration system as well as US national security, according to the slides."
The Global Entry kiosks use finger prints and facial recognition to verify your identity already.
I don't see how this is a privacy concern. If you are traveling via plane, you already need to show a government issued photo id, which means the government already has your mug-shot.
So, everyone expects to be perfectly anonymous at a Customs Checkpoint, eh?
Really? Going to a place where the guards on both sides of the border check your identity routinely, and people expect anonymity as a matter of course?
Could we perhaps find something more important to be outraged about? Like LSU's baseball team embarrassing themselves last night? Or the morning coffee being cold? Or the birds waking my wife up early (therefore grumpy)?
"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
Come on, people, be realistic. Slashdotters are the foremost people complaining about antiquated low-tech approaches to problems and how they could be sped up, and probably half of us already use fingerprint or face recognition on our devices. Yet we're also among the people most aware of the negative impacts of such systems and the potential for abuse.
This isn't random scanning, or general surveillance - this is a Customs checkpoint, where their ENTIRE JOB is to know who is passing in and out of the country. This is one of the ONLY places where such technology is justified. The danger isn't the open explicit mandated checkpoints, it's the misuse of this technology at every commuter station and the entrances to entertainment or shopping venues - and the availability of government-collected information (which we are coerced to provide) to commercial interests for non-public purposes. Though on a practical level it's more likely to go broke because someone got access to my finances through stupid commercial activity.
I can understand mandatory voting, however I will only accept it if there is a non of the above option. Should non of the above receive the most votes then a new election has to be held and none of those candidates can run in the second election.
I figure it will take one or two run off elections and the hardliners on either side will disappear for more moderate people.
i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.