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India Scans a Billion Irises In Interest of National Security (thestack.com)

Posted by timothy on from the nothing-can-go-wrong dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The Indian government is using a loophole to fast-track legislation to allow federal agencies access to its database of 1 billion individuals' finger prints and iris scans. The Aadhaar database was set up in 2009 to 'streamline' benefit payments and help control fraud. The programme claims to have saved an estimated 150 billion rupees (approx. $2.2 billion) between 2014-2015. Privacy advocates are expressing fears that an approval in parliament could facilitate a police state, with data used to silence individuals considered as potential security threats, as well as presenting an enormous risk if breached.

6 of 50 comments (clear)

  1. Biometrics? by wkwilley2 · · Score: 2

    Good luck changing your retinal structure when the database gets hacked.

    --
    Have you ever fallen asleep at the keybhanusdiog?
  2. Re:Peoplw will just line up for there bar code. by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 2

    How does this compare with the USA's "Real ID" project, which will essentially require a passport or federally-approved ID (no more drivers' licenses) to travel domestically by 2020.

    https://www.dhs.gov/real-id-and-you-rumor-control

  3. Next up... by msauve · · Score: 2

    The Netherlands scans one billion tulips!

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  4. Wrong title by gopla · · Score: 3, Informative

    It is not in interest of national security, rather in interest of preventing leakages in government subsidies. The program is voluntary, if you don't want subsidy don't enrol yourself, as simple as that.

    Second part is that the program is running since 2009 without any legal backing or any government legislation. Present government is try to regulate the database and limit the usage of the collected data to just its intended purpose.

    In spite of all safeguards, just like any other database this may also be breached but now there is a punishment in unlawful usage, which was missing till today even though data was already collected since 2009. And, really government cannot use this database for any of nefarious purpose as it just links names with fingerprints and Iris data, without any record of your caste, religion, mother tongue or even citizenship status.

    1. Re:Wrong title by gopla · · Score: 2

      What if they trace my IP, raid my home, arrest me and throw away the key?

      What has this to do with UID?. This pure paranoia. If they really wanted to do it, they can do it without this database. You know, even if you are anonymous coward, your IP can still be traced.

      It is not question of trust in government. It is voluntary, if you don't trust government, don't get your fingerprints scanned and don't get UID. No body is forcing you to get government subsidy.

      Remaining blind to some technology is not going to solve poverty. Using it for betterment of poorest of poor, by eliminating leakages might.

  5. Re:Peoplw will just line up for there bar code. by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 2

    >> There are only a couple of States who have license that don't qualify.

    The states affected in 2018 include 10.9% of the US population: Illinois (4.4%), Minnesota (1.8%), Missouri (2%), New Mexico (0.6%) and Washington (2.1%).

    However, in 2020 that jumps to 67.7% of the US population (56.8% more) with these states: Alaska (0.2%), Arizona (1.9%), Arkansas (1%), California (12.1%), Idaho (0.5%), Kentucky (1.4%), Louisiana (1.6%), Massachusetts (2.2%), Maine (0.4%), Michigan (3.5%), Montana (0.3%), North Carolina (2.9%), North Dakota (0.2%), New Hampshire (0.4%), New Jersey (3%), New York (6.7%), Oklahoma (1.2%), Oregon (1.2%), Pennsylvania (4.3%), Rhode Island (0.4%), South Carolina (1.4%), Texas (7.5%) and Virginia (2.5%).

    That's bigger than "a couple" my friend!