California Autos Examiner

Friday, February 06, 2009

DMV Wants to Face Identity Theft Head On


Remember that Visa Card campaign where everyone claimed to be Emmit Smith? Well, California's DMV is hoping to prevent license monkey-business by recording biometric data then matching it against existing records on file. Match up with an existing entry under a different name and you are a WINNER!

Privacy advocates see "Big Brother" written all over this. Authorities could scan crowds, identify people and then use that info to develop profiles. For example, you could show up at an anti-war rally and suddenly you're on a list that would make Senator McCarthy proud.

DMV claims the opposite is true, that in fact this initiative would improve privacy--although officials were a bit light on supporting details.

At the end of the day, are folks will to sacrifice more personal details in the fight against criminals or will all of these compromises eventually make them an Enemy of the State?

source: DMV proposal for face-detection technology irks privacy groups - San Jose Mercury News

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