Refugees Rely On Biometrics To Receive Aid, Even As Privacy Concerns Loom (dailydot.com)

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Refugees Rely On Biometrics To Receive Aid, Even As Privacy Concerns Loom (dailydot.com)

Posted by BeauHD on Saturday February 20, 2016 @07:51AM from the iris-scans dept.

New submitter Selena Larson writes: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) rolled out a pilot program for refugees this week that connects biometric data directly to points of sale and enables people to buy groceries with an iris scan. The computerized system communicates with the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, which keeps a database of biometric data collected from refugees around the world. If the individual is confirmed to be a refugee in Jordan, based on their iris scan, a bank the organization works with approves the transaction.

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God forbid we compromise their privacy by elrous0 · 2016-02-20 07:56 · Score: 5, Insightful

It's not like they're the ones coming to *US* asking for help, or that they're populated with at least some potential terrorists, or anything.

--
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
1. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 08:22 · Score: 0
  
  I know right!?!? It's not like one day it'll be U.S. Citizens that are "placed" into the need for help and populated with "domestic" terrorists (whether they are infiltration plants or not). Wait. oh snap. lol comment captcha was apathy. Figures.
2. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Trepidity · 2016-02-20 09:12 · Score: 2
  
  This doesn't seem aimed at wrongdoing by refugees (terrorism-related or otherwise), but rather at locals trying to get free food, with refugee biometrics/privacy being sort of collateral damage. The UNHCR has a database of refugees in Jordan (for example), and wants to use biometric data to tell them apart from local, non-refugee Jordanians, so that only the refugees can get food aid.
  I can see why they want that for ease of bookkeeping (harder to forge biometrics than refugee papers, etc.), but this is just a bookkeeping exercise aimed at cost efficiency.
  
  --
  10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
3. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 09:27 · Score: 0
  
  Als sie mich holten,
  gab es keinen mehr,
  der protestieren konnte.
4. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 09:38 · Score: 0
  
  Huh, given the number of americans who are murdered by americans it would make a LOT more sense to have biometric data for anyone wanting to own a gun.
  You are hundreds of time MORE likely to be murdered by someone you know than by a terrorist.
5. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by klapek · 2016-02-20 10:05 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  In Europe majority of refugees or "refugees" have lost all their ids but not their iphones. Another funny fact is that many of them claim to be minors, being a bit too tall or overall big for their age.
6. Re: God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 11:46 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah, don't link there. FP has a paywall. Got another link?
7. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 12:10 · Score: 0
  
  You are something like 50x more likely to die from a smoking related disease compared to being killed in a homicide with a gun.
  Biometric scanners for smoking when?
8. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 12:42 · Score: 0
  
  Wir werden weiter marschieren
  wenn alles in Scherben zerfällt.
  Denn heute retten wir syrien,
  und morgen die ganze Welt!
  Heil, wir schaffen das!
9. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by NotInHere · 2016-02-20 13:02 · Score: 1
  
  Just with the slight difference, that when you smoke you only kill yourself, and perhaps damage the baby in your belly if you are pregnant, but guns are tools to kill other people.
10. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by FatdogHaiku · 2016-02-20 13:12 · Score: 1
  
  In the US some states use an EBT card for things like food stamps and cash assistance. I have rarely seen an ID check when those are used... but it would be a lot harder to use the iris of another person.
  
  --
  You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
11. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 14:29 · Score: 0
  
  Not so; second hand smoke is a health hazard.
  As for gun control - how about we go back to the "white landowners only" standard? As a white landowner, I'm all for disarming the rest of you.
12. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 15:43 · Score: 0
  
  In these cases, the card itself serves as a functional control. You have to have the card, which is credited only a certain amount each month. The cards in my state have no names on them; they function like a prepaid VISA and there's nothing to check ID against. But possession of a card with a balance means *someone* has been vetted and met whatever requirements exist, money was disbursed, and hasn't been used yet. There's some level of fraud, yes; but if I sell you my $50 EBT for $40 cash, that's my choice and the government hasn't "lost" anything. They still disbursed the same amount they intended to and the fraud doesn't expand the program cost.
  The problem WMF has in Jordan is having a real loss effect, requiring much more food (money) to be disbursed than was planned/allocated. Fraud is definitely expanding the program cost. The program was poorly designed, but given the time frame in which to set it up, probably was the best that could be done to start with. They need to start handing out EBT style cards. Nobody's ability to eat should require surrendering biometrics to the government.
13. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by andymadigan · 2016-02-20 17:03 · Score: 2
  
  The cards would be stolen by criminals and gangs. If they had PINs, then the PIN would be beaten out of them by said gangs.
  
  --
  The right to protest the State is more sacred than the State.
14. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Mashiki · 2016-02-20 17:05 · Score: 1
  
  We just finished dealing with one here in Canada, who was living in the US and are in the process of shipping him back. His parents of course are well-off living in Egypt and have paid not once(from Egypt to the US) but twice(US to Canada) to try and get a claim in. Not only are countries dealing with "I'm a 14yr old boy..." when they're 25. They're also dealing with refugee shoppers.
  
  --
  Om, nomnomnom...
15. Re: God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 18:24 · Score: 0
  
  Country shoppers
16. Re: God forbid we compromise their privacy by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-21 03:49 · Score: 0
  
  Niemoller (the source of that quote) was a totalitarian, first supporting the Nazis, later communists. The man should be remembered as an evil, despicable hypocrite.
17. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Richard_at_work · 2016-02-21 04:48 · Score: 1
  
  For as long as I can remember there has been a camp for illegal immigrants (who want to get into the UK) in Calais, and France doesnt give a toss because if they did something then they would have to either accept those immigrants or deport them. While they are undeclared in those camps, they arent Frances problem.
Eyeballs for sale! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 08:13 · Score: 1

Get your freshly scooped out eyeballs here! Best prices in the camp!
1. Re:Eyeballs for sale! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 14:46 · Score: 0
  
  But do they have a Swedish doctor with a Swedish nurse to replant the eyeballs? If they don't, screw that plan!
What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 08:17 · Score: 0

They're not doing anything wrong, so what do they need to hide?
1. Re:What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 08:26 · Score: 0
  
  Right, if they're not doing anything wrong, why do we need to see if they're hiding... what they are doing wrong?
2. Re:What's the problem? by sumdumass · 2016-02-20 08:46 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  They are relying on the charity of others.
  Seriously. Do people think they are owed something here? This system was likely being exploited and this is a way to ensure that resources go to those it was intended to go to. The alternative is to either not distribute resources or for the refugees to take a stand.
3. Re:What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 10:11 · Score: 0
  
  They are relying on the charity of others.
  Seriously. Do people think they are owed something here? ...
  Heh heh. We could also turn that around.
  Do the donors think that that the refugees owe them something here (e.g. a retinal scan)?
  The basic idea behind charity is that the recipient does not owe anything to the donor. I mean, if I give $2 but then you owe me a sandwich - well, that's not charity.
4. Re:What's the problem? by sumdumass · 2016-02-20 10:45 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  If i give you two dollars and say you have to walk across town to get it from me, the only way you are going to get it is if you come to me. This doesn't mean you owe me a trip across town, It means that you have to do something to get my charity but you are doing it for yourself.
  So no. The donors are not expecting the refugees to owe them anything. But they expect what they donate to be used for the people donated to. If the requires them to do something to help themselves out, it is all on them.
  It's not like they have to put 20 hours in at a salt mine or anything. If they want assistance, they can't expect it to be delivered on a silver platter.
5. Re:What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 14:34 · Score: 0
  
  Donors are owed respect. That is shown by recipients using the funds for the intended purpose.
6. Re:What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-21 12:35 · Score: 0
  
  Different A.C. here.
  Do the ones who refuse to abide by those rules deserve to starve and die then?
7. Re:What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-24 05:52 · Score: 0
  
  >Do people think they are owed something here?
  They do. Many of the 'refugees' come from large & ancient cultures that grew up being told the whole world owes them & is pre-destined to be ruled by them, their book told them so. The host cultures are to be submissive & respectful to their guests, and when the time is right, defer to be supplanted by them. These guest-cultures hold ancient grudges & never forget or move on to the big picture. Their ways are the only picture, and consider it their inevitable & unavoidable destiny, heck their duty to reap from others. So yes they do consider themselves owed.
  _
8. Re:What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-24 05:55 · Score: 0
  
  >who refuse to abide...
  If some holdouts, (grandma, the criminal who knows they're already on the database, the lazy, paranoid, or just irresponsible teen who can't be bothered to participate), there will spring a black market to feed these. There's always a workaround.
9. Re:What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-28 16:37 · Score: 0
  
  From M-W
  blackmarket: a system through which things are bought and sold illegally
10. Re:What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-28 16:44 · Score: 0
  
  I'm the one whop posted the http://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=8774721&cid=51606547
  Can you explain, a blackmarket of what?
Without Papers by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 09:59 · Score: 0

Most of those people are without papers, right? It's much cheaper to create them digital identities than pressing hard to counterfeit temporary identity cards which would probably contain a biometric id on a chip anyway.
1. Re: Without Papers by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 11:42 · Score: 0
  
  Strangely for all those ID papers floating in Greek shores and Australian shores these people are able to hang on to their mobile phone. Even more strangely they are not able to take even one photograph of their ID papers.
Biometrics: It's all fun and games... by tlambert · 2016-02-20 10:58 · Score: 1

Biometrics: It's all fun and games... until someone loses an eye.
Cheaper by PinkyGigglebrain · 2016-02-20 12:00 · Score: 1, Funny

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just tattoo a bar code onto everyone's hand or forehead? Maybe use an ink the is only visible under UV or IR?

That way when the refugees get to go home or end up settling in someplace new they can get the tattoo removed, or not. But it wouldn't be as big a privacy risk as a retina scan or other biometric that can't be changed when it gets compromised.
1. Re:Cheaper by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 12:41 · Score: 0
  
  Cheaper sure. But it brings back memories of the Nazis tattooing captives in the death camps. And it's intrusive on the person, and it's permanent, and it's far more work than getting a fingerprint or iris scan.
  For any or all of these reasons a tattoo ain't gonna fly.
2. Re:Cheaper by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 13:22 · Score: 0
  
  > But it brings back memories of the Nazis
  That's probably OP's intention. The left has run out of arguments regarding the refugee crisis and has to resort to yelling "Nazi!" whenever the topic comes up.
3. Re:Cheaper by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 20:58 · Score: 0
  
  UV ink tattoos aren't permanent. They fade to nothing in time. An unfortunate stalling in technological progress in that area.
Biometric ID for Stateless People by rlh100 · 2016-02-20 18:27 · Score: 1

Living in a modern society where we have multiple ways to prove who we are when asked we loose sight of one of the basic problems refugees face: being able to prove who they are and what country they come from.
For a refugee who is having a hard time proving who they are, privacy concerns are a moot point. An iris scan that can give them food in store like food distribution center is far better than waiting in line and hoping there will be food available when the get to the head of the line.
This is very similar to one of the problems homeless people face here in the US.
RLH
1. Re:Biometric ID for Stateless People by Antique+Geekmeister · 2016-02-21 01:03 · Score: 1
  
  There are also refugees deathly frightened of their old governments tracking and killing them, and especially for those fleeing genocidal or religious persecution. We saw it before with Rwandan refugees, where the Tutsis were murdered wholesale by Hutus. We saw it Iraq, where the Kurds were slaughtered in the Anfal cmpaign, and refugees _were_ hunted in exile. Even in the US, centralized documentation as found in the records of citizenship applications and birth records was used against the Nisei, citizens with Japanese ancestors who were sent wholesale to concentration camps during WW II.
What's the verdict on repeated iris scans? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-20 21:20 · Score: 0

What's the verdict on repeated iris scans?
Are they detrimental to the eyeball?
Higher risk of cataracts in the future? Cancer? Something else?
This was by design form the begining by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-21 07:41 · Score: 0

The whole point of governments bringing in the refugees - against the will of their own people - was to have a reason for enforcing biometrics on everyone.
How long before everyone has to prove they are not a refugee by using biometrics? You can't check people's id and papers, prove they are not fake, every time they need to buy bread or beans. Or gas.
It is for your own convenience...We understand you may not like it but... you don't have choice... don't worry it is only a temporary solution .. for now.
And next comes the microchip and the cashless society. You say the wrong thing on Facebook.. you're instantly broke - or dead - Ooops....
the so called refugees, throw away their passports by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-21 08:08 · Score: 0

in order to apply for refugee status. Additionally, many refugees, then apply several times under different names. Some have been caught registered as 10 different persons. Some even travel all over europe and collect benefits and money in each country they visit. This has all been proven.
Identifying all those freeloaders uniquely will certainly lower the level of abuse.