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posted by janrinok on Tuesday March 20 2018, @08:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the face-up-to-it dept.

The new report, which was released Thursday, comes on the heels of a related 2016 report showing that half of Americans’ faces are already in a facial recognition database.

“As currently envisioned, the program represents a serious escalation of biometric scanning of Americans, and there are no codified rules that constrain it,” the report concludes.

In July 2017, Ars reported that facial-scanning pilot programs are already underway in international departure airports at six American airports—Boston, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, New York City, and Washington, DC. More are set to expand next year. In a recent privacy assessment issued one month earlier, DHS noted that the “only way for an individual to ensure he or she is not subject to collection of biometric information when traveling internationally is to refrain from traveling.”

“We’re wondering if this is the best use of a billion dollars?” [Laura Moy, a Georgetown law professor and one of the report's authors] said. “We’ve done the research and we think the answer to that question is ‘no.’”

“When American citizens travel by air, they should not have to choose between privacy and security,” he said. “The implementation of DHS facial scanning program for US citizens leaving the country raises a number of questions.”


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @08:32PM (8 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @08:32PM (#655608)

    To answer, we will need another billion dollars and a change of administrations. who will do nothing, regardless of who is installed.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:34PM (7 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:34PM (#655638)

      Who's administrations have increased policing and surveillance?

      • (Score: 4, Insightful) by milsorgen on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:20PM (5 children)

        by milsorgen (6225) on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:20PM (#655667)

        All of them have. Obama's was probably the most disappointing while Bush's was the most egregious.

        --
        On the Oregon Coast, born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days...
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @12:52AM (4 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @12:52AM (#655761)

          That's interesting slant. How about: Obama's was the most egregious and Bush's the most disappointing?

          • (Score: 2) by dry on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:42AM (3 children)

            by dry (223) on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:42AM (#655835) Journal

            Obama came in with a message of hope and change while Bush came in with a message of "I'm stupid and will allow Cheney to expand the police state". One ended up being a big disappointment and one did exactly what he was elected to do.

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @04:02AM (2 children)

              by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @04:02AM (#655891)

              I understand your point and angle. My view is Obama promised hope and change. But some good reporting I've read, complete with audio and video, shows a different hidden agenda, more about power and control. Federal and state "Civil forfeiture" on the rise, for example.

              • (Score: 2) by dry on Wednesday March 21 2018, @05:05AM (1 child)

                by dry (223) on Wednesday March 21 2018, @05:05AM (#655918) Journal

                Doesn't really matter if he had a secret agenda as the reason he was voted for, in most cases, was for the hope and change.

                • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:42AM

                  by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:42AM (#655945)

                  I read your post as "herpa derpa durpa dooooo" because it was explaining 2+2 to an apparent idiot. The only thing that can explain such stupidity is bind tribalism where Republican == good and democrat == 666

                  Such idiocy will land us in trouble, we all need to pick the best candidate regardless of "tribe". I now regret thinking Ross Perot was silly, but then again I was in grade school.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @05:43PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @05:43PM (#656234)

        don't be a fucking idiot!

  • (Score: 4, Funny) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:23PM (2 children)

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:23PM (#655627) Homepage Journal

    No.

    That's what hookers and blow are for.

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
    • (Score: 3, Touché) by bob_super on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:33PM

      by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:33PM (#655637)

      The best hookers and blow are just a short plane ride away ... crap !

    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Thexalon on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:52PM

      by Thexalon (636) on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:52PM (#655689)

      As someone named Channing Pollack once wrote in Reader's Digest:

      Do you remember the sailor who, asked what he’d done with his wages, answered, 'Part went for liquor, part for women, and the rest I spent foolishly.'?

      --
      The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
  • (Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:32PM (18 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:32PM (#655636)

    Everybody's driver's license photo is digitally available, plus many schools are now following federal standards for ID photos. I'm sure somebody is mining the shit out of them.

    • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:00PM (15 children)

      by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:00PM (#655654) Journal

      Here in Arizona every time you go into the MVD/DMV regardless of what you are there for, you go through the camera station and get your digital image updated / refreshed. Access into the courthouses has you get a picture taken as well. I was recently on jury duty and everyone who reported had a picture taken.

      --
      For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:26PM (14 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:26PM (#655673)

        I was recently on jury duty and everyone who reported had a picture taken.

        Well that's certainly one way to thin the jury pool. My privacy is more important to me that your (gub'mint's) desire to force me through a jury selection and potentially jury duty.

        Since the government is well on the way down the road the Stasi took, though, you can bet that they would take the opportunity to incarcerate anyone who refused to accede to having the picture taken and take the opportunity to record photos, fingerprints and more.

        • (Score: 4, Interesting) by edIII on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:14PM (13 children)

          by edIII (791) on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:14PM (#655702)

          Privacy is one thing, dignity is another.

          I won't take off my belt. When demanded to, I remind them that belts were invented to keep your pants up. So, I'm supposed to take off the technology needed to keep my pants up, raise up my hands inside the metal detector, and then shuffle through to get my belt again? That's why I fly with absolute comfort, and stretchy sweatpants. Elastic FTW. So when the TSA agents are patting me down and feeling my nuts up, I don't need to worry about holding my pants up.

          The courts? Apparently appearances matter more than justice. You are not allowed to wear shorts or sweats, and the judge will remind you of it quite harshly.

          I haven't been in jury duty forever simply because I cannot enter the courtroom. I've written the judge on two incidents, noting the officers name and badge number that refused me entry, and the city has never come to get me or anything. I just tell the judge the truth, that I don't believe it is Constitutional to require somebody (not convicted or punished of a crime) , to have their dignity stripped in such a manner. If the Judge demands that I visit the court, I will do so in shorts with an elastic waistband.

          --
          Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
          • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:56PM (4 children)

            by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:56PM (#655724)

            You are concerned for your dignity so you wear sweat pants in public?

            • (Score: 3, Funny) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:20AM (3 children)

              by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:20AM (#655820) Journal

              A person with true dignity can stand naked in a crowd and not lose his dignity. EdIII doesn't tell us how he normally dresses. He has stated that he will wear a specific outfit into court, for the purpose of making a statement. Wearing a costume as a form of protest does seem somewhat dignified, actually.

              (At this point, half the readers of this site are thinking "Well, yes, I can stand naked in a crowd, and maintain my dignity!". To which I say, "Demonstrate, please.")

              • (Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday March 21 2018, @03:36AM

                by edIII (791) on Wednesday March 21 2018, @03:36AM (#655863)

                This person with true dignity can also be subject to the law, which makes him a filthy sex offender.

                I didn't decide to wear clothes. Society forced me :)

                --
                Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
              • (Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:48AM (1 child)

                by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:48AM (#655948)

                And you wonder why Azuma teases you about latent homosexual fantasies......

                • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday March 21 2018, @01:34PM

                  by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 21 2018, @01:34PM (#656085) Journal

                  So, uhhhhh - lemme get this straight. Any person who has ever been naked in the company of multiple people, or either gender, or even both genders, is a homosexual? And, what's more, if you were in a public place, and someone snatched your clothes off of you, you would become homosexual? Or - say maybe you and your special other were skinny-dipping, and a crowd of rowdy young men came to watch, both you AND your special other would become homosexuals?

                  By those standards, I was a homo from day one. I came into this world naked, because I was too damned poor to buy a diaper on the way in. I arrived with several nurses, a doctor, and even my MOTHER present! GAY!!!

          • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:38AM (2 children)

            by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:38AM (#655832) Journal

            As long as you can get away with it more power to you. Here in Arizona a grand jury summons comes registered mail, so attendance isn't an optional thing. Someone has to sign that it was delivered or the mail carrier signs that you refused to accept. Technically speaking then the state marshals would come get you but I don't know if that it actually happens or not. I've received summons to regular jury duty both in California and Arizona, both off which I just trashed and ignored as they were not registered and I would just claim that I never saw. I was also a witness to an attempted armed robbery many years ago and that was not optional either. As long as I am not working I don't see it as too great a civic duty, and really don't have a great issue with taking off my belt. Giving up my carry weapon is far more invasive when I enter into the courthouse. I worked a contract at Arizona Western College for a while and they won't allow you on campus armed unless you carry a POST certificate, but I've always kept mine up, you have to certify yearly. The post certificate allows me to carry my weapon concealed when I enter into California, or most other states as well.

            --
            For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
            • (Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday March 21 2018, @07:59PM (1 child)

              by edIII (791) on Wednesday March 21 2018, @07:59PM (#656306)

              I think you misunderstood. As for the registered mail, I honestly don't remember if it was or not. As for the jury duty, I'm not seeking to escape it. In fact, I would be happy enough to serve on a jury. When I received the letter, I did make it to court 30 minutes before we were scheduled. I attempted entry, and was DENIED. When I was denied, I got proof that I was there by recording the badge numbers of the officers on duty. Parking fees helped too.

              In my letter to the judge I was brief and to the point. I wasn't going to take my belt of for him, the Pope, Superman, or Jesus. It didn't matter, and the court had no right to strip away my dignity as if I was being processed into jail. The belt was my requirement to wear pants, and I wouldn't risk my pants falling down in public (dignity) because some a-hole officer thinks it funny to demand my hands go up when he sees I'm desperately holding up my pants. I offered to come back to court, as long as the judge wasn't offended by my elastic waistband sweat pants and a t-shirt.

              The key part here is that you don't just ignore it. You become vocal as fuck about it, involve as many people as possible, and you write letters to the judge. In my case, I've gotten away with it twice. Mainly because I suspect that the government really doesn't have the right to force innocent citizens to undress in order to receive and/or participate in justice. Why should we be treated like criminals just because we need to enter a government building?

              As I've gotten older though, I've lost my ability to care. I just show up to court in shorts and t-shirt and let the judge yell at me.

              --
              Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
              • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Thursday March 22 2018, @08:28PM

                by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Thursday March 22 2018, @08:28PM (#656842) Journal

                I did not misunderstand. I to had to remove my belt to go through the metal detector and pat down. I think you are getting overly upset about the belt but that is only my opinion and in that case it was yours that mattered. I am far more upset about my shoes while getting on a plane than anything else but I choose to/have to fly for business otherwise I' never submit to that.

                --
                For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
          • (Score: 2) by richtopia on Wednesday March 21 2018, @04:12PM (4 children)

            by richtopia (3160) on Wednesday March 21 2018, @04:12PM (#656166) Homepage Journal

            I have a customer who has metal detectors at all entrances to the factory. When I am supporting them, I wear a nylon belt so I do not set off metal detectors.

            https://www.amazon.com/WYuZe-Military-Tactical-Casual-Webbing/dp/B06XRBW22Y/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1521648679&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=nylon+belt&psc=1 [amazon.com]

            • (Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday March 21 2018, @07:45PM (3 children)

              by edIII (791) on Wednesday March 21 2018, @07:45PM (#656300)

              They will still make you take it off at the airport and let it go through the scanner. Same with any kind of hat or head covering. They just simply refuse to let anything NOT go through the scanners. I'm allowed to opt out of the scanning, but the truth is that only my minimally clothed person with no shoes can get away with not going into the scanner. By minimally clothed, I mean that jackets, sweaters, and any extra layers of clothing must come off.

              The belt is really just one part of it.

              --
              Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
              • (Score: 2) by richtopia on Wednesday March 21 2018, @07:58PM (2 children)

                by richtopia (3160) on Wednesday March 21 2018, @07:58PM (#656305) Homepage Journal

                Where are you flying? I have never been required to remove my belt except if the metal detector goes off.

                • (Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday March 21 2018, @08:16PM

                  by edIII (791) on Wednesday March 21 2018, @08:16PM (#656316)

                  The U.S.A, land of the free and home of the brave.

                  --
                  Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
                • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Thursday March 22 2018, @08:33PM

                  by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Thursday March 22 2018, @08:33PM (#656846) Journal

                  Oakland international, Phoenix international, San Francisco International, Yuma International. Pretty much any international airport. It has been a while since I have flown through a domestic airport just because of where I live and where I go but I'd like to think that the security flying between domestic ports of call is lesser, but I don't know that...

                  --
                  For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:58PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:58PM (#655694)

      It's rumored that some people have put photos of themselves on Facebook for whatever reason. Is there no one in our government who can make a deal to get those at a very fair price?

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:17PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:17PM (#655706)

        Not [soylentnews.org] just themselves.

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by VLM on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:35PM (3 children)

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:35PM (#655639)

    Its a IT boondoggle program. Look at how well the enormous IT tracking infrastructure is completely failing to catch the Texas mad bomber, and that's a much simpler task.

    news.google.com implies the mad bomber is up to five now, as of the time of this post. Maybe more by the time you read this. Eventually Texas is going to run out of fedex facilities to blow up, then what?

    The only thing I can predict with some accuracy about the airport facial system is it won't catch anybody, these kind of big brother things are not used to prevent crime. I'm sure sure what they intend to do with it beyond simple contractor corruption for profit.

    • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:05PM (1 child)

      by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:05PM (#655656) Journal

      What good is a facial recognition system if the site where the bomb is placed isn't under camera coverage. Unlike NCIS/CSI implies it may be some time until cameras are ubiquitous outside of major cities where they are quickly becoming so. I've seen camera cars in Phoenix driving down neighborhood streets taking pictures of all the license plates and people out walking.

      --
      For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
      • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:34PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:34PM (#655714)

        "Precrime has cut down felonies by 99.8%."

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:51AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:51AM (#655950)

      While this isn't one of your more loony posts I'd like to point out that you are "sure sure" about this point :D

      Security theater is so very properly named, sadly most people do not actually understand this. Once again I had to "enjoy" the indignity of getting a full body pat-down instead of getting a nude picture taken of myself that may or may not give me skin cancer.

      #feelingsaferalready

  • (Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:49PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:49PM (#655643)

    ...so we can fly anonymously again!

    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by takyon on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:59PM

      by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday March 20 2018, @09:59PM (#655653) Journal

      Look! At the comedian!

      HAHWHAHWHAHHWHAHHwhahahwhh

      🎶 And I'm proud to be an American,
      Where at least I know I'm free 🎶

      --
      [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
    • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Thursday March 22 2018, @08:37PM

      by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Thursday March 22 2018, @08:37PM (#656847) Journal

      I think what would be really cool is if I could get 4 or 5 other people to wear masks to look like me and we all fly simultaneously at different airports to different locations. If you can't beat the DB then poison the hell out of it.

      --
      For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
  • (Score: 2) by NewNic on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:06PM

    by NewNic (6420) on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:06PM (#655657) Journal

    I'm OK, I use lemon juice on my face! [medium.com]

    --
    lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:48PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 20 2018, @10:48PM (#655686)

    "In Moscow, authorities spent $870,000 on balloons and decorations at polling stations. [msn.com]" I'm going to bring a bunch of balloons [youtube.com] next time I go to an airport.

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by SomeGuy on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:11PM (1 child)

    by SomeGuy (5632) on Tuesday March 20 2018, @11:11PM (#655699)

    In time, facial recognition will be on every street corner and in every store. Might even replace consumer tracking "loyalty" cards. And everyone will be perfectly happy with it. Or else. The potential for mining marketing data is HUGE.

    Airports? Phuuuleeaze. You really think security is what facial recognition is for? Letting a terrorist through every now and then MAKES money, especially if you are in the security theater business. Just make sure you can still justify groping grandma!

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @10:34PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @10:34PM (#656370)

      If the big corporates have deals with the local police, FBI, etc they could be funneling all their surveillance camera data to government agencies to be analyzed and used for facial recognition. Even though I haven't personally heard any stories of it yet, I have been assuming it was in place since visiting a loss prevention office in a major corporate store about 10 years ago. Combined with that guy from North Carolina who ran off with the 15 year old student to California and how easily they managed facial recognition on them from one of the stores (a Walmart?) and you can assume your face is being analyzed daily, even if the current level of coverage is crap.

      America as either a land of the free or a home of the brave has been dead since at least a few years after 9/11, and depending on what your 'pivotal change' is, anywhere from the 1990s back to the 1780s.

  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @04:37AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @04:37AM (#655908)

    In a recent privacy assessment issued one month earlier, DHS noted that the “only way for an individual to ensure he or she is not subject to collection of biometric information when traveling internationally is to refrain from traveling.”

    That's fine by me, DHS. I have no need to visit your country. Due to your insane TSA security theater antics I have not been willing to cross your borders and enter your country for nearly two decades now. I have taken this stance despite having had a fantastic time on prior visits to the US. I was quite fond of the many people I met, the scenery I got to experience, etc etc. There's a whole wide world out there, and plenty of other interesting places to visit. Unfortunately, many countries are starting to follow the TSA's security theater cues and set up similar systems. They generally don't see a need to fondle my balls though.

    • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:58AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:58AM (#655951)

      We miss you too! But we understand your desire to avoid our prison transition facilities. I am probably one of the more honest citizens in the country and I still get anxiety going through US airports. Just declining to get a full body EM scan that "only" penetrates the first few millimeters of skin makes one feel like a criminal as you get your junk felt up by some poor sucker who knows their job is useless.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @05:49PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @05:49PM (#656235)

        real americans don't fly. i quit shortly after 9/11.

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