May 26th, 2005
Big Brother Is Watching
Europeans are gradually gearing up for national ID cards. In Belgium, cards are being intentionally created with typos to thwart counterfeiters. In the UK, government officials are ready to give ID cards the go ahead. Unfortunately, none of these technologies are totally without flaws.
German organizers of the 2006 World Cup soccer tournament are going to require biometric facial scans of fans who attend. This is a high tech effort to prevent a very low tech problem–overly rowdy (and sometimes even life threatening) fans. Jan Libbenga of The Register writes,
The German government plans to record the biometric facial features of those present in stadiums during the World Cup in 2006. By comparing these features with images stored in a database, the police hope to identify potential hooligans. When the software recognises a suspicious person, security forces on location can immediately be alerted.
It’s 1984 all over again.
3 Responses to “Big Brother Is Watching”
1984?! 1931 too - This is a terribly slippery slope. While one can easily justify all sorts of intrusive identification measures in the name of security, it all ends up eroding much of what we in the US have come to believe is unalienable rights - independence, freedom and liberty.
What does this have to do with FM? Nothing and everything. Who do you supposse will be asked to implement the new ID programs? Who will become the ID-police? FMers.
Two things come to mind - the need for eternal vigilance against erosion of freedoms and a scene from the really bad latest Star Wars movie - the head of the senate asks for unlimited power and receives it through acclimation. One of the characters says - so this is how freedom dies - with thunderous applause.
hero, May 31st, 2005 at 9:48 am
Speaking of privacy - check oput this website and the new product to mask conversations in the open office:
(appropriately named “Babble”)
http://www.idfuel.com/index.php?p=461&more=1&c=1
hero, May 31st, 2005 at 9:49 am
Your reference to 1931 is on target. I can easily see some facility managers charged with this task being forced to say, “I was only following orders…”
Talk about your slippery slope.
On another subject, the new Star Wars film was really that bad, hm? I almost saw it this weekend, but I was prevented by general disagreeable behavior exhibited by my moviegoing companion (Sam, in other words.)
HeidiTFM, June 1st, 2005 at 10:29 am
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