FBI's New Eye Scan Database Raising Eyebrows 229
mattnyc99 writes "The FBI has confirmed to Popular Mechanics that it's not only adding palm prints to its criminal records, but preparing to balloon its repository of photos, which an agency official says 'could be the basis for our facial recognition.' It's all part of a new biometric software system that could store millions of iris scans within 10 years and has privacy advocates crying foul. Quoting: 'The FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system, which could cost as much as $1 billion over its 10-year life cycle, will create an unprecedented database of biometric markers, such as facial images and iris scans. For criminal investigators, NGI could be as useful as DNA some day — a distinctive scar or a lopsided jaw line could mean the difference between a cold case and closed one. And for privacy watchdogs, it's a dual threat — seen as a step toward a police state, and a gold mine of personal data waiting to be plundered by cybercriminals.'"
Want to make money? (Score:3, Funny)
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Or perhaps a company that sells novelty contact lenses [halloweenexpress.com].
Blah (Score:4, Insightful)
The DMV and the US government already have my picture (passport). Why should I give a shit if the FBI has it or has access to it?
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Because they're the ones with the badges and guns and the ability to detain you without trial and make you disappear?
Just saying.
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Yeah. I always thought that the FBI had access to passport/driver's license/military ID cards already. Kind of makes you think "So?"
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have you seen the current stinky low-res passport photos? anyone could look like anyone else with just makeup.
Re:Blah (Score:5, Informative)
BBC did a documentary on biometrics a year or so back. Iris ID has been used in Dubai for soem time it said. Also it pointed out that a way to defeat this is any drug that dialates the pupils. So; smoke a bong and smile ;)
Re:Blah (Score:4, Informative)
Also it pointed out that a way to defeat this is any drug that dialates the pupils. So; smoke a bong and smile ;)
Marijuana doesn't dialate the pupils, although it can make your eyes red and droopy (maybe just as good). Non-addictive drugs don't do jack to the pupils.
If you want your eyes dialated, you're going to have to snort coke or smoke meth or crack. Downers and narcotics like Heroin or Demerol will make your pupils constrict.
Re:Blah (Score:4, Funny)
Also it pointed out that a way to defeat this is any drug that dialates the pupils. So; smoke a bong and smile ;)
Marijuana doesn't dialate the pupils, although it can make your eyes red and droopy (maybe just as good). Non-addictive drugs don't do jack to the pupils.
If you want your eyes dialated, you're going to have to snort coke or smoke meth or crack. Downers and narcotics like Heroin or Demerol will make your pupils constrict.
Most psychedelics will alter your pupil size and are not physically addicting (besides Ketamine, woo yay). I know LSD and Psilocybin/Psilocin will dialate your pupils WAAAY more than coke/crack/meth. Though there's a SLIGHT possibility of it interfering with your daily tasks :P
Re:Blah (Score:4, Funny)
And if illegal amphetamines or hallucinegenics don't do it for you, then you could always try something really crazy, like eye drops.
Re:Blah (Score:4, Funny)
Non-addictive drugs don't do jack to the pupils.
Echo xonar's note on the psychedelics. A good healthy breakfast of funky fungus will blow your pupils to the point that the iris is difficult to find, let alone ID.
However, it's not terribly difficult to recognize when somebody is on mushrooms/LSD/etc. If they're going to detain you based on your irises, having them missing is probably just as effective a way to get arrested as springing up a positive match.
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Your DMV photo actually looks like you??
too many movies (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:too many movies (Score:5, Informative)
You seem to be talking about retinal scanners -- iris recognition is considerably less intrusive. I don't know about retinal scans being harmful, but I'm quite sure iris recognition isn't.
(At least, in the superficial physical sense).
Re:too many movies (Score:5, Informative)
You're correct. Iris scans, as opposed to retinal scans, can be done quickly using only ambient lighting. And, with decent optics, they can be done at surprising distances. The only real limitation is the atmospheric effects you get from small air currents, thermals, etc. And, on a calm, cool day, those don't become an issue for a good way off.
Eyeglasses an advantage! (Score:5, Insightful)
looks like all us "four-eyes" are going to have an extra modicum of privacy.
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Naw, you'll just get put on the terror list first.
Think about it. You wear glasses because you are correcting your vision, possibly because you enjoy reading. While reading, you might be exposed to materials that are critical of plans to implement things such as iris scanners. Reading these critiques might cause you to begin thinking the government maybe exceeded its authority.
This kind of "thinking" is a strict no-no. True
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Naw, you'll just get put on the terror list first.
Think about it. You wear glasses because you are correcting your vision, possibly because you enjoy reading. While reading, you might be exposed to materials that are critical of plans to implement things such as iris scanners. Reading these critiques might cause you to begin thinking the government maybe exceeded its authority.
This kind of "thinking" is a strict no-no. True patriots never question; they obey.
even worse, I might repeat verbatim a book I read, thus committing the highest of crimes, copyright infringement!
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What about us "three-eyes"?
Re:Eyeglasses an advantage! (Score:4, Funny)
I thought the requisite income for owning a monocle meant you were controlling the surveillance system.
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Retina scanning is also fairly useless for ID, the retina changes over time, as bits of it die and regrow.
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Aren't modern day iris scanners bad for your eyes. Sending crazy bright light directly into a person's eye will obviously damage it if it's done enough times.
It won't be any worse than staring at a computer monitor all day. Or going outside when the sun is shining. I've been doing both for decades and my eyes are still fine.
Re:too many movies (Score:4, Funny)
Hey! I'm over here!
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Re:too many movies (Score:5, Funny)
Or going outside when the sun is shining.
What is this "sun" of which you speak?
Re:too many movies (Score:5, Funny)
You go outside!?
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Sending crazy bright light directly into a person's eye will obviously damage it if it's done enough times.
Dr. Odin* dialates my pupil and then shines a crazy bright light into it in order to see if the surgery was successful. I had this done numerous times last year after a torn retina, and twice so far this year after my vitrectomy [slashdot.org] for the detached retina.
That eye's vision is back to better than 20/20. His "crazy bright light" hasn't seemd to have harmed it a bit, and without the "crazy bright light" befo
'Duel' threat? (Score:5, Funny)
> And for privacy watchdogs, it's a duel threat
I guess they really threw down the gauntlet, huh?
Now which weapon should I choose... rapier and/or dagger?
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Grenade
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Now which weapon should I choose... rapier and/or dagger?
Ballot box
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I wasn't aware that you could vote for (or against) the FBI. But then, I'm not an American and there's much about your political system that I don't understand.
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BFG 9000 for me please.
Re:'Duel' threat? (Score:4, Funny)
I think I'll take banjos, for $500.
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Darn Disco Bandits!
En Garde (Score:5, Funny)
And for privacy watchdogs, it's a duel threat
En garde!
well of course it's raising eyebrows... (Score:5, Funny)
how else would the scanner be able to read the eye?
I must say... (Score:2)
this has been a real eye-opener!
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ugh, eye hate these puns..
Oh, come now!
Everyone knows the beauty of a pun is in the "Oy!" of the beholder.
Cheers!
Strat
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Thank god someone said it!
-Taylor
It will inevitably lead to mistakes. (Score:3, Insightful)
ok, so what's next? (Score:2, Insightful)
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Re:ok, so what's next? (Score:4, Funny)
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Would that be Godwin's Orwellian corollary?
"As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
As any discussion of the United States Government grows longer, the probability of a comparison to George Orwell's 1984 approaches one.
In the event that you can invoke both Godwin's Law and the Orwellian Corollary, you score double.
Adjunct to the Orwellian corollary: Any person correctly citing the corollary within earshot of said 1984-ish government will
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techpawn's law: As a slashdot discussion of tech grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving George Orwell's 1984 approaches one."
Oh hey (Score:2, Insightful)
Popular Mechanics is garbage. It's for people who want to pretend to be smart.
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Yes, where is this technology outsourced from?... (Score:3, Interesting)
Really? Is more outsourcing of sensitive government tasks the way to go? Have we learned nothing from experience...
This is stuff Vegas has been doing for years! (Score:2)
I suspect that
Re:Yes, where is this technology outsourced from?. (Score:5, Insightful)
Anybody notice the mention of Lockheed Martin in the original article?
Really? Is more outsourcing of sensitive government tasks the way to go? Have we learned nothing from experience...
The federal government outsources just about all of their sensitive science and engineering. Sandia National Lab [sandia.gov] is run by Lockheed Martin. LANL [lanl.gov] and LLNL [llnl.gov] are also run by contractors. Nothing new.
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The federal government outsources just about all of their sensitive science and engineering. Sandia National Lab is run by Lockheed Martin. LANL and LLNL are also run by contractors.
And that's why it's called the "military-industrial complex"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military-industrial_complex [wikipedia.org]
President Eisenhower popularized the phrase, but it's an old concept.
Apparently even the fascists worried about the MIC.
Nothing new.
Well... the GP is obviously new here
(no really, he is)
they shouldn't raise eyebrows (Score:2)
wait, what do they mean by raised eyebrows?
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Like this [picturejockey.com]?
test subjects (Score:5, Insightful)
They should use the politicians that control the agency, and the upper level bosses in the agency, as the first test subjects. Not that they have anything to hide, but I'm guessing they wouldn't like it in this case.
I see where this is going... (Score:4, Funny)
Well, what about the people with no eyeballs? OR HANDS?! OR FACES!? OR EVEN DNA?! You think criminals are dangerous, it's the criminal zombies you have to be really afraid of! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
They never would have caught me... (Score:5, Funny)
Only criminals... (Score:2)
Somewhere in here there is a Corey Heart joke
Hold up (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Hold up (Score:5, Insightful)
Nevermind someone hacking the FBI DB - what if some data entry monkey just screws up their data entry?
"And now, entering data for serial killer John Doe, III" while having the record open for Jon Do, II. How will this be changed? Updated?
I have a trivial mistake in my passport file (they have the wrong passport labeled as lost), and it is costing me 2 hours at immigration every time I fly. I have checked, and it is not possible to correct it. I fear to think what would happen with a more serious mistake. I'm pretty sure there'd be a lengthy trial involved, if not outright conviction and lengthy appeal.
Re:Hold up (Score:5, Funny)
I do not leave my iris information at a crime scene.
Er... what *do* you leave at your crime scenes?
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Not worried. They don't have a field length long enough to support me.
Ba-Dum! Thank You! I'm here all night :)
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And? (Score:4, Insightful)
Technology has been moving this way for decades. There is even an argument that it's been moving this way for centuries.
And so what? How much is this really going to effect us? Really? As things stand we have all our information stored by banks, hospitals, employers, and social networks. This is a natural progression.
Anyone who thinks governments wouldn't do this obviously didn't pay attention at school. They've been doing this since they came into existence.
This isn't going to result in a police state. Whats going on in Zimbabwe leads to a police state, not what we have here. All this is is a centralisation of information.
As for me, I don't care whether they want this info or not. And as for the cybercriminal thing, you believe your bank/hospital/employer is any safer? Seriously?
If this move would damn us, we've already been damned for some time.
Next up, world doesn't end when this happens.
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This isn't going to result in a police state. Whats going on in Zimbabwe leads to a police state, not what we have here.
I agree. The concern over this seems to be making a mountain out of a molehill. Having an iris or other biometric profile for criminals is no more invasive than having images of tattoos or mug shots in a computer database. It is simply the progression of technology.
For people who have no criminal convictions, I think there are legitimate concerns and that their biometric information sho
Stop acting like this isn't a problem. (Score:3, Insightful)
And this is ok on the face of it, but NOT the way these companies are being allowed to abuse it. Just because the abuse is ubiquitous doesn't mean it's ok.. that's like going back to the 1850's and arguing "slavery is the result of natural progression".
Oh it doesn't hurt you at all as long as you're a conformis
Re:And? (Score:4, Interesting)
Hmmmm.
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This isn't going to result in a police state. Whats going on in Zimbabwe leads to a police state, not what we have here.
What will lead to a police state? The US IS a police state. If you have secret police you have a police state, and it doesn't matter if you call them "secret police" or politically correct euphemisms like "plainclothesmen" or "undercover agents".
Get rid of victimless "crimes" and you have no rational need for secret police.
If this move would damn us, we've already been damned for some time
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Alternatives (Score:4, Interesting)
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There isn't. The system that allows you to instantly track criminals is the one that allows you to instantly track everybody. This is the definition of a police state.
You know, I like some inefficiencies in my government. It makes sure that some dimwit who can't get a regular job doesn't get a Napoleon complex and institutes some harebrained regulation.
Yes, it means some crimes go unsolved. I prefer that to some stupid crimes being solved.
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The system that allows you to instantly track criminals is the one that allows you to instantly track everybody.
I don't see anything there that says the proposed system allows the instant tracking of criminals or by extension, everybody. This is simply making more information available to law enforcement to more narrowly define the list of potential suspects from information that may be gathered from a crime scene (i.e. closed circuit TV images and such).
Yes, it means some crimes go unsolved. I prefer that
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since when have security cameras had that kind of resolution, and why do we need iris recognition when cameras pick up the rest of the body perfectly well?
the only thing I see this being used for is to further nag you with ads and to track you and persecute you should your actions ever pose a threat to the political agendas of the wealthy who own the cameras.
A very small percentage of bad apples in our society spoil a lot of things for the rest of us. I'm all for using technology that makes it easier to identify the bad apples from the rest of us that just want to live our lives peacefully. The better the tools law enforcement has, the better for all of us.
Then you need to go to the people's republic of china, where they jail the one innocent man rather than let 1000 criminals go free. Our forefathers th
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A very small percentage of bad apples in our society spoil a lot of things for the rest of us. I'm all for using technology that makes it easier to identify the bad apples from the rest of us that just want to live our lives peacefully. The better the tools law enforcement has, the better for all of us.
Ah, but who gets to define what a 'bad apple' is? I bet your definition may be different than the folks who will do the enforcing. And if the definition ever changes to include *you*, then you're screwed.
Re:Alternatives (Score:4, Insightful)
The better the tools law enforcement has, the better for all of us.
Except when law enforcement and assorted bureaucrats and incompetents are the bad guys. Your automatic assumption that law enforcement are the good guys is telling. Do you think the percentage of bad guys in law enforcement is larger or smaller than the general population?
I get annoyed with people advocating large databases accessed by large groups of people. Any large group of people will have good and bad in it. How do you deal with that? It's not as simple as you think.
And what makes you think a database of millions of people and accessed by tens of thousands isn't going to compromised by organized crime approximately 30 seconds after it goes live? How will it affect witness protection programs? How will it affect the innocents who have erroneous data on their name? How will it affect innocents who have bad data deliberately put on their name?
We could make law enforcement's job much easier but putting everybody's biometrics into a big database at birth and requiring everybody to have an operation putitng a GPS radio into them. Why don't we do that? It's a question of balance. Unfortunately, law enforcement's and politicians' idea of balance seems to be somewhat different from the general population's.
---
DRM - Have you got big-corp-of-your-choice's permission to go to the toilet today?
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You don't fight crime by catching criminals. You don't fight crime by deterrence. You fight crime by removing the incentive.
Interesting concept. Describe "removing the incentive" to, say, fight the crime of child abduction. Taken to it's logical conclusion, we should also quit investigating kidnapping, and instead "remove the incentive" for people to kidnap in the first place?
Of course, I should assume you didn't mean that literally - in some cases deterrence is needed, and in some cases deterring more quickly could save lives.
What's really funny though, is that some of the same complainers also say the current system is t
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You don't fight crime by catching criminals. You don't fight crime by deterrence. You fight crime by removing the incentive.
For some people, there will always be incentive to take things they haven't worked for. And incentive to murder occasionally. And incentive to rape. Etc.
I'm all for trying to prevent criminals from becoming criminals (white collar/blue collar/no collar/whatever). But deterrence and occasional separation from society are essential tools for maintaining a safe society.
Please do Not (Score:4, Insightful)
Look Into the Laser With Your REMAINING Eye.
The BIG problems with biometrics that rely on external facial features along with such things as facial bone structures is that they CAN be foxed rather easily by a good makeup artist as well as by plastic surgery.
Scars can be added - and removed - both by clever applications of makeup and/or plastic surgery. The set of a person's eyebrow ridge can similarly e altered (for the purpose of fooling scans) using either technology as well. So can the set of one's cheekbones, jawline or even the confirmation of the ears (another unique body feature, like the fingerprint).
Once again, the government goes down a path that is easily mucked up and that will produce highly questionable results.
Thanks again, Washington, for spending more of our money on eye scanners and less on things like flood control programs, bridge inspection teams and systems to keep our ports safe from maniacs who just might try to blow one of them higher than up!
I'm confused. (Score:2)
How did this get put in the "Developers" category? Seems more like a YRO item to me.
I'm just sayin'..
Iris scans post-mortem? (Score:2)
I have a question for anyone involved in the field of biometrics or just human physiology-
Are iris scans (or retina scans) useful after a person has died? If they are, how long do they remain useful?
I would imagine that, being soft tissue, they would be the first ID technique to become useless, but I wonder exactly how long investigators would have.
-b
Ah, the new industry of stolen eyeball smuggling.. (Score:2)
Cue the minority report!
Iris Scanning Info (Score:2, Informative)
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For those who would prefer not to wallow in self induced ignorance, (both of you)
HOLY CRAP! no wonder i'm so tired and have productivity problems of late.. Im running 500,000 sock puppet accounts on slashdot!
so who is the other guy?!
At first when I read this... (Score:3, Funny)
(Un)Civil Unrest (Score:2)
2. Approach iris scanning machine.
3. Beat iris scanning machine into pieces with wrecking bar hidden in trousers.
4. Get arrested and sent to prison.
5. Join the millions who died in many wars for the rights being shat upon by the administration in knowing you did something good for humanity.
6.
7. Profit! (Morally)
I accept your invitation to the FBI files! (Score:2)
1. Wait patiently in line.
2. Approach iris scanning machine.
3. Beat iris scanning machine into pieces with wrecking bar hidden in trousers.
4. Get arrested and sent to prison.
5. Join the millions who died in many wars for the rights being shat upon by the administration in knowing you did something good for humanity.
6. ...
7. Profit! (Morally)
1. wait patiently for the motorcade. ...
2. approach politician with outstretched left hand and concealed weapon in right
3. shoot politician repeatedly
4. get arrested and sent to the gas chamber (or shot)
5. Join the millions who died in many wars for the rights being shat upon by the administration in knowing you did something good for humanity.
6.
7. Profit! (Morally)
8. A big shout out to all the fbi agents who read this post.
Courts scare me, not the FBI (Score:2)
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That's like saying that hand prints shouldn't be used because a palm reader can use it to figure out when you're going to die and who you're likely to marry.
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no, it's not.
one is superstition, the other is actual medical fact.
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Only if you're hanging around in the 19th century. With very few exceptions, examining the iris doesn't give you any information about illnesses (although it can certainly tell you about problems with the iris). Iridology lives on the trash heap [wikipedia.org] of medical history [quackwatch.com] these days. Aside from the fact that it makes no sense from a physiological perspective, it also simply fails on evidence.
As far as I'm concerned, anything that has no theory or data t
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It's just a question of when the FBI will fully obtain it.
I respectfully disagree. The FBI already has it, surely. It is a question of when they'll be able to use it openly. (Or so I think. My disagreement is not based on anything factual, just probabilities, and they're not exactly cooperative in sharing that information with the likes of me.)
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It'll go a little further than last time. Rights are being lost a little bit at a time.
You can measure how good a country is by how much they ADVANCE freedom and RAISE the MEDIAN standard of living. By this measure the US is a very crappy country and getting crappier. You've become a global embarrassment to your former friends and liability to freedom everywhere.
I canceled my own trip to the US and went to Cuba instead. At least their citizens realize they live in a police state, there may be hope for them.