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Snowden Joins Outcry Against World's Biggest Biometric Database (bloomberg.com)

Posted by msmash on from the topsy-turvy-world dept.

Former U.S. intelligence-contractor-turned whistleblower Edward Snowden joined critics of India's digital ID program as the nation's top court is due to decide on its legality. From a report: Snowden on Tuesday tweeted in support of an Indian journalist who faces police charges after she reported that personal details of over a billion citizens enrolled in the program could be illegally accessed for just $8 paid through a digital wallet. Named Aadhaar, the program is backed by the world's biggest biometric database, which its operator Unique Identification Authority of India, or UIDAI, says wasn't breached. Snowden tweeted, "The journalists exposing the Aadhaar breach deserve an award, not an investigation. If the government were truly concerned for justice, they would be reforming the policies that destroyed the privacy of a billion Indians. Want to arrest those responsible? They are called @UIDAI."

3 of 36 comments (clear)

  1. I HATE Snowden by plague911 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    and I even have no problem with the database existing, but the case against the journalist is beyond the pale. Journalistic protections are essential for ANY functioning society.

  2. Is this about Snowden? by tinkerton · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A biometric database of 1 billion people can be accessed easily, that is newsworthy. The fact that Snowden 'joins the outcry' is more a human interest angle. Like the human interest article I read about the latest Nobel prize for peace( for ICAN, who campaign against nuclear weapons). The campaign is important, and all we got was a human interest article.

    To be fair, if Snowden says a protest action is worthy, I do agree it makes it more interesting for me.

    The problem with this database is the same as with so much data collection: the main objection given is the security of the database 'only qualified people should access it'. In practice that is nonsense and you should assume it can be accessed by anyone, maybe not now but later. Therefore a more radical prohibition is needed for a lot of data: make it forbidden to collect some data.

    One step further would be to block certain technological developments. Because controversial technology is often introduced under pretext of tackling some consensus 'bad people': russian child molesting terrorists. Then once the technology is in place it's only a small step to use it for other purposes.

    With this latest scandal the line of defense is too easy. first try to shut up the messenger. If that fails claim you'll make the system safer. Job done.

    1. Re:Is this about Snowden? by AlanObject · · Score: 5, Insightful

      ... instead of using domestic whistle-blower options, took state secrets to our only real enemy...yeah, credibility=zero."

      Aw, jeez. This again? Your talking (thinking?) points have been so thoroughly debunked so many times.

      This is probably useless but..

      #1: Snowden tried using official channels first. They did not work.

      #2: Snowden never took information to any "enemy." He scouted out the most responsible free-world journalists he could find who have routinely took what he gave them to officials in the U.S. and U.K. before they published them. China never got anything from him. Russia never got anything from him. (p.s. they didn't need it.)

      #3: On the issue of credibility everything Snowden said has turned out to be true. You can't say the same for what officials in the U.S. and U.K. have said.

      #4: As has been repeatedly demonstrated, there are no "domestic whistle blower" options, except to go to solitary deep prison with minimal government-controlled access and all evidence in your defense sealed for "national security" reasons.