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Vermont DMV Caught Illegally Using Facial Recognition Program

posted by martyb on Friday May 26 2017, @10:30PM   Printer-friendly
from the it's-okay-so-long-as-you-don't-get-caught? dept.

Fnord666 writes:

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles [DMV] has been caught using facial recognition software — despite a state law preventing it.

Documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont describe such a program, which uses software to compare the DMV's database of names and driver's license photos with information with state and federal law enforcement. Vermont state law, however, specifically states that "The Department of Motor Vehicles shall not implement any procedures or processes... that involve the use of biometric identifiers."

The program, the ACLU says, invites state and federal agencies to submit photographs of persons of interest to the Vermont DMV, which it compares against its database of some 2.6 million photos and shares potential matches. Since 2012, the agency has run at least 126 such searches on behalf of local police, the State Department, FBI, and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

Source: Vocativ

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by BsAtHome on Friday May 26 2017, @11:48PM (8 children)

    by BsAtHome (889) on Friday May 26 2017, @11:48PM (#516199)

    If what they did is illegal, what is going to happen with all the did and its consequences? Does this means somebody will get punished? The way I hear this story will be something in the line of: "Oh we're sorry, we'll play by the book from now on" - while hiding their efforts better for the next operation to run.

    What can you do to /stop/ this kind of behavior? That is the real question IMO.

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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Snotnose on Saturday May 27 2017, @12:17AM (1 child)

    by Snotnose (1623) Subscriber Badge on Saturday May 27 2017, @12:17AM (#516210)

    To stop it you throw people in jail. That will never happen, which means it will never be stopped.

    --
    It was a once in a lifetime experience. Which means I'll never do it again.

    • (Score: 2) by butthurt on Saturday May 27 2017, @03:08AM

      by butthurt (6141) on Saturday May 27 2017, @03:08AM (#516272) Journal

      > To stop it you throw people in jail.

      ...and/or invalidate convictions that were obtained by use of the technique.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 27 2017, @01:12AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 27 2017, @01:12AM (#516224)

    Move to a better state?

    • (Score: 2) by Snotnose on Saturday May 27 2017, @02:13AM

      by Snotnose (1623) Subscriber Badge on Saturday May 27 2017, @02:13AM (#516238)

      A state that also doesn't throw these asshole in jail? I don't think that state exists in the USA anymore.

      --
      It was a once in a lifetime experience. Which means I'll never do it again.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Demena on Saturday May 27 2017, @01:21AM (3 children)

    by Demena (5637) on Saturday May 27 2017, @01:21AM (#516227)

    Well, theoretically the number of people they have to reverse (fruit of the poisoned tree) on would make the cost of repeating the exercise prohibitive. However, likely they will try to hide matters rather than reverse convictions or retrials.

    • (Score: 2) by http on Saturday May 27 2017, @04:39AM

      by http (1920) on Saturday May 27 2017, @04:39AM (#516300)

      More likely, they shall make parallel construction SOP.

      --
      I browse at -1 when I have mod points. It's unsettling.

    • (Score: 2) by deimtee on Saturday May 27 2017, @11:05AM (1 child)

      by deimtee (3272) on Saturday May 27 2017, @11:05AM (#516366) Journal

      Does "fruit of the poisoned tree" apply though? It's not like they searched someones property without a warrant.
      It's a state law, forbidding the DMV from using biometrics, not forbidding the transfer of information to other departments.

      --
      200 million years is actually quite a long time.

      • (Score: 1) by Demena on Saturday May 27 2017, @11:21AM

        by Demena (5637) on Saturday May 27 2017, @11:21AM (#516370)

        Maybe. I am not a lawyer. Usually though a break in the chain is a break in the chain.