Re: insidious biometrics, identity crises

[Elaine -HFB- Ashton <elaine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Robin Berjon [robin.berjon@xxxxxxxxx] quoth:
*>
*>As a Frog, I probably have a slightly different take on this. We've had 
*>compulsory ID cards forever (well, for much longer than my lifetime) and 
*>are accustomed to them. Somewhere between 93-95, a thumbprint was added to 
*>them. That's biometrics, but well, pretty shallow as biometrics go.

Likewise for Finland, although the 'smart' ids are just now coming along
which will contain some biometric data I believe. Also, anyone with a
passport in the EU will find that they'll be required to submit to
biometric data for their passport lest they be forced to apply for a visa
with a complementary anal probe every time they wish to enter the US for
any reason.

Finland also is rather rabid about checking IDs when using any form of
credit or bank card, something which has impressed me tremendously since
it was /exceedingly/ rare in the US or the UK. I don't have any
statistics, but I would guess that such kinds of fraud are pretty unusual
here because of that. 

*>So I'm no opposed in se to the existence of such cards, but having done a 
*>(tiny little) homework on what's happening around this in the UK, I 
*>understand your concerns.

Indeed, but 1984 came right on time though only now are people really
catching on that Orwell was truly prescient. It's far, far too late to
stop this sort of thing and it's better to worry about or assist in the
implementation of the data storage. 

Besides, now that giant chunks of the Baltic are devoid of oxygen and life
which subsequently gives off more SO2 than all the sewage St. Petersburg
could produce, you might get the idea that the oceans are dying and, well,
when that happens national IDs will be pretty low on the list of concerns.

e.