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Tech Credited With Reducing Nigerian Election Death Toll
jfruh writes: Dozens died in the runup to Nigeria's most recent election — a shocking statistic to many Westerners, but a relief in comparison to the much more serious violence that plagued earlier elections. Observers are crediting technology with making the election safer: the use of biometric IDs gave voters more confidence in the results, and social media gave people a chance to blow of anger that might've otherwise results in street brawls.
This is a common misconception. You cannot "get your anger out" by indulging in it. Hitting a pillow or screaming until you're hoarse, or verbally thrashing someone on the internet does not make you act like a gentle person the rest of the day.
If that was the case, you'd see most of our professional athletes; especially hockey players, football players, and boxers, as some of the most gentle, even-keeled people that ever existed.
If anything, this makes us more used to binge angry, as we acclimate to it physiologically and psychologically. Perhaps this is why it seems those above atheletes are prone to excessive and often illegal violence on and off the field.
No identity checking whatsoever at UK elections. You declare who you are and put your cross in a box. British parliamentary democracy has many problems, but voter corruption has never been identified as one of them.
And the alleged benefit of social media is just wild speculation.
This is Westerners just doing the whole, "Africa is so backward and the only reason they succeeded FOR ONCE is thanks to the tech we kindly bestowed upon their primitive little minds."
How about... they're finally shaking off the shackles of dependency from a legacy of colonialism and learning that self-determination, rule of law and free trade actually make for a better society? I.e. as ever freedom comes from educated choice, not from imposition.
Resulted, not results.
Come on guys.
but here in the u.s. a well-connected, socially-networked public just riots, instead.
"...the use of biometric IDs gave voters more confidence in the results..."
American Democrats need to tell the Nigerians that voter IDs are racist.
Biometric voter IDs? The liberals would freak if we had fair elections. Democrat success electoral hinges on illegible voters, and Presidential candidates as well.
I understand that technology can help in many cases, but i think this is not one of them (at least not in that way).
Antisthenes: "Wisdom begins by examining the words/names." - excuse my English, i am (slightly...) better with my Greek!
So, you are saying Apartheid should have continued as it is?
Use of Biometrics enables identity thieves to automate their crimes on an industrial scale. How many times must this be said before it begins to sink in?
Every system of security is eventually compromised. If someone harasses you by calling your phone all the time, you can change your phone number. If someone steals your credit card, you can challenge the charges and your bank can issue you a new card with a different number.
If someone gets hold of your fingerprints, an image of your iris, your facial measurements, or whatever else they can charge up a storm, ruin your credit rating, take all your savings, have you thrown in jail for violating your security clearance, destroy your life, and you won't be able to do a damn thing about any of it. You can't call God and plead that your fingerprints were stolen and you need a new set.
DO NOT USE BIOMETRICS FOR SECURITY OR IDENTITY AUTHENTICATION. EVER. PERIOD.
How many deaths and dismemberments do people have to suffer before the governments finally catch on and realize what a horrible idea this is? It's already happening in movies and TV shows. How long until it starts happening in real life?
These are your body parts, people! Don't turn them into valuable commodities that criminals will want to steal. How difficult is that to understand?
Here is more fun fact for you. Most blacks in South Africa aren't natives, but came down for the jobs... created by the country that the whites their built.
But in the end I don't care. Today, SA is what it is. A rape and murder capital of the world.
Don't tell me - if you moved all of the Nigerians in Nigeria to a state in the USA, and called it 'Nigeria 2', they would all suddenly become just like WHITE people, and NOT kill each other during an election - because it's the LAND MASS that white people happen to be living on that makes their countries better than all the shitty countries in Africa, right?
It's the LAND MASS in each country in Africa that magically makes that country a third world shithole, nothing to do with the GENES of the people who live there...
In Amerika, we just manipulate the count the bring the "perfect" candidate to office. That's, what technology can do.
The mind conceives, the body achieves, the spirit manifests.
So that Nigerian prince lives? I hope so, he owes me 10 grand.
Table-ized A.I.
How long before biometrics will be touted again as the solve-all for "identity" with this as the shining example when it's clear it's only a dumbo's feather in this context? I'm quite sure that if the actual performance data of these cards becomes known we're right back on the violence threat situation.
There is little reason to intimidate, threaten, maim, and kill to get people to vote for you when you can just hack the voting machines.
Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
Vote fraud happens. They threw out that particular election but I don't think any of the people who committed fraud were ever charged. And dozens of precincts in Philadelphia haven't had a single vote for a Republican presidential candidate in decades.
Stinson's absentee ballot campaign led to hundreds of improper votes, mostly in the district's Latino and African American neighborhoods. Those improper votes included forgeries and instances in which workers either marked ballots for voters, told them how to vote, or never showed them the ballot that was cast in their names.
But Democrats will tell you there has never been any significant voter fraud (although you might want to look up a guy named Landslide Lyndon) and that there is no need for voters to present an id card.
As one Jaapie said to me: "The 'ole bleddy country's gone ter pot since the kaffirs 'ave bin renning it".
chance to blow of anger that might've otherwise results
They actually pay you for this?