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Singapore Will Add Iris Scans As Identifier For Citizens And Permanent Residents Starting January 1 (channelnewsasia.com)

Posted by msmash on from the privacy-debate dept.

From the beginning of next year, authorities will start collecting iris images from Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) when they register or re-register for their NRIC, or apply for or renew a passport, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). From a report: The iris images will serve as another identifier to boost verification methods, in addition to the photographs and fingerprints already used on the documents. The change is part of amendments to the National Registration Act, which were passed in Parliament in November and paves the way for iris scans to be introduced progressively at Singapore's land and sea checkpoints within the next two years. In a statement on Wednesday (Dec 28), MHA said the amendments will take effect on Jan 1.

28 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Yep, that's Singapore by colinrichardday · · Score: 1

    Yeah, this is what I'd expect from Singapore.

    1. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      A secular country surrounded by Muslim countries, but with a better track record of anti terrorism compared to US and EU?

      Their pragmatic approach is way better than the pretentious western politics.

    2. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Singapore refuse to accept refugees.

      Singapore is Smart

      Be like Singapore

    3. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I had to go once for work.
      I farted and they caned me for two hours, sterilized me, and put me in jail for 4 months. It wasn't even a loud one, just a lil' squeaker.

    4. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by NotInHere · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Singapore is quite a remarkable country: it is ruled by one party since it became independent, but still it has little corruption and is very proud of this fact.

      The rules for society have frozen since the independence: porn just as homosexuality is forbidden, and hetero oral sex was legalized about one decade ago (until then it was forbidden as well!). Also, they still punish people by caning, another remainder of the british colonial past.

      Their low corruption index is attained through two main things: an anti-corruption agency that can act independently from the government, and lots of surveillance and spying.

      Singapore is what modern colonial England would look like if there were no progress in society, and I guess mainland England is slowly developing into that direction again.

    5. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by colinrichardday · · Score: 1

      Singapore is an entire country. Or did you mean a large country?

    6. Re:Yep, that's Singapore by colinrichardday · · Score: 2

      I never said that Singapore was totalitarian; I meant that it was strict.

      Is Singapore a good place to live if you're LGBT?

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    7. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yes and no.

      LGBT is technically illegal, but the government openly pledged not to enforce it but refuse to remove the law because it might upset conservatives. No one in history have ever been charged for being LGBT.

      It's probably the safest place in the world for LGBT people and there isn't anywhere you can't go in the country that would compromise your safety.

      However snarky, impolite remarks, dirty looks from a minority of conservatives might be fair game.

    8. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Singapore is quite a remarkable country: it is ruled by one party since it became independent, but still it has little corruption and is very proud of this fact.

      It does much better than the surrounding countries at preventing low level corruption - minor government officials explicitly breaking the law in exchange for bribes. On the other hand, if corruption is defined more broadly as people in positions of power using that power for personal gain then Singapore is deeply corrupt at the very highest levels. Like North Korea, Singapore is basically owned by the descendants of the founding prime minister / dictator. For example, the current prime minister is the son of the founding prime minister. Singapore does have elections. But there is a complex network of laws limiting the ability of opposition parties to campaign effectively. The concept of freedom of speech is basically non-existent in Singapore. Back when "The Economist" put a Charlie Hebdo cartoon on it's front cover, Singapore was one of the few countries where the cover was left blank.

      The rules for society have frozen since the independence: porn just as homosexuality is forbidden, and hetero oral sex was legalized about one decade ago (until then it was forbidden as well!).

      And not just commercial porn but also taking naked photos in a private context (e.g. a wife sending her husband a naked selfie). But prostitution was and still is legal in Singapore (although prostitution related activities, such as pimping, are illegal so one has to be careful). In Singapore, speech (porn) is considered to be much more dangerous than actions (prostitution).

      Also, they still punish people by caning, another remainder of the british colonial past.

      And not just the adults but also the school children - which goes a long way toward explaining their high scores on standardized tests.

      Their low corruption index is attained through two main things: an anti-corruption agency that can act independently from the government, and lots of surveillance and spying.

      Free speech is very limited in Singapore - not just by law but also by culture. A couple years ago some British guy did a Facebook post implying that people in Singapore who can afford not to ride the public transportation generally don't (i.e. it's the poorer people in Singapore that ride the public transportation out of economic necessity) - and, while that's more or less the truth, he got run out out of the country with death threats. But corruption indexes are typically based on answers that people give on surveys. Imagine going to North Korea and asking people if they thought their government was corrupt - well, it's a lot like that in Singapore.

      The one thing that Singapore does do well is provide a strong safety net right at the very bottom of society. Of course, you're not allowed to stay in Singapore if you're a foreigner who doesn't have a job (mandatory minimum three strokes of the cane if you stay in Singapore beyond what is allowed on your government permit). But Singapore citizens who would otherwise be in desperate poverty get all kinds of aggressive help from the government. Essentially no one is homeless in Singapore - you're either going to be in government housing or a mental hospital - but not just wandering out on the street.

      Anyway, this social safety net is almost certainly a major (often overlooked) factor in the low crime (including low level corruption) rate in Singapore.

      Singapore is what modern colonial England would look like if there were no progress in society, and I guess mainland England is slowly developing into that direction again.

      There's a lot to like about Singapore and I'm grateful for everything that Singapore did for me while I was there. But, as a freedom-loving American, when I was finally able to find work that allowed me to move back to the USA, I just about kissed the ground when I got off the plane back onto American soil.

    9. Re:Yep, that's Singapore by metamatic · · Score: 1

      The same thing the USA has been doing for a few years, you mean? When I was a resident alien with a "green card" I was required to undergo an iris scan.

      --
      GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
    10. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Singapore refuse to accept refugees.

      It's a lot more complex than that.

      Singapore has a population of about 5.6 million of which only about 3.4 million are citizens. The rest are 1.7 million non-residents (e.g. foreign workers) and 0.5 million permanent residents.

      So Singapore has a relatively massive population of foreigners. But the unemployment rate in Singapore is around 1-2%. Which flies in the face of the idea that foreigners are bad for an economy.

      Now, regarding true refugees (e.g. who drift down the coast from countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam in overcrowded barely seaworthy boats). Well, the Singapore navy intercepts them and gives them (unmarked) boxes of food and gives them instructions on how to navigate to other countries besides Singapore. :)

      Of course, if you're caught staying in Singapore illegally it's a mandatory minimum three strokes of the cane - so there's also a healthy trade in smuggling people out of Singapore (e.g. across the border in Malaysia) - so they don't get caned.

    11. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by PGaries · · Score: 1

      Apparently this isn't true; LGBT people have been charged: http://www.economist.com/blogs....

      Never mind the repressive effects of such laws even if they aren't strictly enforced. A law is a law.

    12. Re:Yep, that's Singapore by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      Yes AC thats what most nations do, they count everyone in and out.
      If you are allowed to stay you have to be studying, on holiday, working or have some other really good reason for been in any normal nation.
      The same is followed up for work, education, health care and tourists in most normal nations. When your work or study or holiday is over you go back to your own nation again.
      As for scans, it makes it easy to see who entered, why and for how long they can stay. If they over stay they can be tracked at work, if in study.
      Fake or shared papers produced on demand are then totally useless unless gov files can be altered.
      Australia tried the 100 point check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... but that has its limits as layers of not difficult to fake/obtain documents build up the needed profile.
      Considering the ability to keep documents safe at the gov level the iris scan adds another level of much needed security.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    13. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by fubarrr · · Score: 1

      Violators of the Geneva convention are FILTH

    14. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by fubarrr · · Score: 1

      >has little corruption

      You mean a country where the president holds a personal pension fund funded by people's taxes?

    15. Re: Yep, that's Singapore by fubarrr · · Score: 1

      Passports and legal citizenship of the first world countries are a stapple good on the black market

  2. Re:Good! by unixisc · · Score: 1

    Or the blind?

  3. Re:Good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Kill them, I'd wager.

  4. Re:Good! by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

    What will they do with people who fail the eye test? Kill them, I'd wager.

    They seem to like beating people with big sticks.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  5. Re: Good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I'm Singaporean. My Father in law have a stroke so he can't use the fast track automatic clearance because he can't lift his finder for authentication so he had to go through the manual queue with a customs officer clearing him.

  6. I've seen the movies by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

    This could start a vibrant market in second-hand eyeballs.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  7. Thank goodness by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 2

    "Singapore Will Add Iris Scans As Identifier For Citizens And Permanent Residents"

    Thank goodness this will never be hacked, because biometric signatures are 100% secure and if they do get hacked you can always change th...oh, wait...

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    1. Re:Thank goodness by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      Smarter nations don't store their gov documents in plain text facing the internet.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    2. Re:Thank goodness by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      Smarter nations don't store their gov documents in plain text facing the internet.

      I believe Internet access for government employees was cut off a little while ago.

      That's right, no internet access anymore for government employees.

      Not that it matters - there's the Great Firewall of Singapore to deal with. One that probably tracks you trying to access illicit materials and gets you arrested. Unlike say, the Chinese firewall which just blocks.

      One thing that struck me while I was there was how little there was to do. It's all so highly regulated that it's just work, shopping and few other highly controlled activities. If that's all you do, great, it's a great country. But if you want to do some recreation, camping, or other activity that the government doesn't allow, well, it's sort of disallowed.

      Don't get me wrong, the place is very efficient - public transit is great - it runs on time (and when it doesn't, people get fired) and all that - no power outages or other things. But it's also sort of boring. Yes, maybe 60% of Americans would probably fit in if all you do is work, shop, and do a few things like movies and such. But it really lacks any sort of "community" feel even though everyone takes care of family and such. It's more of a "I take care of my own family and relatives. You have no relation to me, go away. Why do you even say hello to me? I don't know y ou. Go away."

    3. Re:Thank goodness by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      Singapore got into digital networks years ago. e.g. Land Data Hub project.
      The main idea is to attract wealth and keep it safe. Few nations can offer that. That safe feeling covers every aspect of life.
      No strangers just get to walk around like in the EU or USA.
      re the "no power outages or other things."
      The GCHQ has poured decades of hardware into local sites and even Australia gets to help. The power was always secure over decades or collection on China and Indonesia would have slowed :)

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  8. Canada's been doing this for years... by PrimaryConsult · · Score: 2

    If you want express entry into Canada (as an American or as a Canadian), you need to submit an iris scan. Nothing crazy about that.

    1. Re:Canada's been doing this for years... by wjcofkc · · Score: 1

      Or you could use a jet pack. But that would be crazy. Is the Canadian border armed? Off to my workshop!

      --
      Brought to you by Carl's Junior.
  9. All in good capatilist fun by wjcofkc · · Score: 1

    Todays evil is tomorrow's potential (or vice versa). And so we will have a new black market in iris altering contacts that can fool machines. Someday we here will be having a conversation about other applications for said possibly but maybe not beneficial technology. These days you cannot expect a technology to merely go in one direction. I know other nations are already doing similar, and just because other people are already doing this does not negate the ambiguous nature of my post.

    --
    Brought to you by Carl's Junior.