https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/08/15/met_police_mobile_fingerprint_scanners_600_by_2019/
https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/new-fingerprint-devices-help-law-enforcement-identify-suspects-more-quickly/2224358
A previous article highlighted a pilot program in the UK to roll out fingerprint scanners within mobile devices, why its coming to the US was inevitable and why it was a bad idea. We now see that it is indeed rapidly coming our way.
This article isn’t about the fact that it’s coming, is here or is a bad idea – this we knew. It’s to point out the economics of the situation – by not making cops work as hard to identify citizens on the street it saves them a great deal of time and money. Those resisting street identification have an uphill battle – not only is invading citizens privacy easier, it’s cost effective.
Consider this: as it’s used by law enforcement to serve and protect the people, why were the people never asked and this technology never voted on? Why are there no laws surrounding its use, and when there is an outcry from lawyers and civil rights activists why are they ignored?
It’s because invasion of your privacy isn’t about “we, the people”, it’s about power and money, and not for citizens’ benefit.
- Talk about this with people – those who say they “have nothing to hide” are missing the bigger picture and don’t understand that by not standing against this technology, their ignorance is working against the best interests of all other citizens. Only through conversation outside their box might they come to understand.
- Elect people to office who do understand what’s at stake and will at the very least wrap counterbalances and processes around use of this technology in order to prevent abuse.