Biometrics

[Nancy Palmquist]

Fairlight wrote:
> 
> In the relative spacial/temporal region of
> Fri, Jun 04, 2004 at 11:06:01AM -0400, Kenneth Brody achieved the spontaneous
> generation of the following:
> >
> > Fourth Ammendment:
> >
> >     The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
> >     and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
> >     violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,
> >     supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the
> >     place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
> >
> > Please tell me what rights are violated here.  And please tell me how, if
> > this violates those rights, "show me some ID before I'll let you in" is any
> > different.  (Or do you feel that asking for ID is a violation as well?)
> 
> IANAL.  The only thing I can think of is that by being subject to a
> fingerprint or retina scan, you're being 'searched' without probable cause.
> Without probable cause, nobody should have the right to access what is
> tantamount to medical records, unless there is prior voluntary agreement,
> as in the case of employment or other access to facilities.
> 
> Of course, it's also -technically- illegal to use your SSN for anything
> other than dealings with the Social Security system, but try getting into
> university without using it.  Good luck.  I've never been told how they
> manage to get around that.
> 
> I question the validity of fingerprint analysis anyway.  Yes, it's been
> used for years, and it's been admissible in court far longer than DNA
> evidence, but DNA testing is actually far more accurate.  Apparently
> fingerprint analysis is open to interpretation and there is a fairly wide
> margin for error and interpretation.
> 
> Of course, -I- see the entire lot as just another way to gather intel on
> people and "plug them into the system" so everyone can be constantly
> tracked.  As if there wasn't enough paranoia and Big Brother-ism going on.
> Watch--next the FBI, who got their telephone wiretap-readiness law and are
> now shooting for online tapping readiness, will also want immediate access
> to the biometric scanning results of private companies and organisations
> without requiring a warrant.  It never stops.  I'd lay odds that if/when
> biometrics comes into its own in more widespread use, this -will- be
> something TPTB go after the ability to access at their convenience without
> having to explain themselves.

The biometric thing does not keep a picture of your fingerprints, it
translates the nature of your print into a unique number or code of
somekind.  

I agree - how is that different than showing a picture ID?


> 
> I saw a satire several years ago saying that UPC codes were really a
> prototype experiment for something that would have the same acronym:
> Universal People Codes.  It was joked about as being the supposed mark of
> the beast, etc.  After everything from the FBI's wiretap-readiness mandate
> to the Patriot Act[s], I have to wonder if it was satire or prescient--
> barring the religious overtones, of course.

A better way to identify people will improve security.  My plan would
create an ID card with the biometrics recorded on the card.  You show
the person the card, swipe it in a reader and put your finger on a
scanner.  If the swipe matches the scan, you are who the card says you
are.  They do not need to keep the information at all.

Do you want a picture ID to be the only way they can identify the
person(s) with access to critical things such as aircraft, water
supplies, medical labs, chemical plants, your 3 yr old at day care, etc.

It only matters that we are allowed to hold to our own data, not give it
to others to hold for us.  That is when the abuse starts.
> 
> mark->
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-- 
Nancy Palmquist 
Virtual Software Systems
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