UK can now scan fingerprints in the street and check national and immigration databases

[editor]

How do we feel about this? It makes me feel very uncomfortable given the cops predilection to target minority groups...

The UK Home Office has begun rolling out police mobile fingerprint scanner devices across West Yorkshire.

Starting initially with 250 devices, the scanners will be able to identify an unknown person in under a minute remotely.

By taking two of the suspect’s fingerprints and matching them to the 12 million records held in national and immigration databases, any officer can check someone’s identity. If a match is found, the police officer will be able to access information stored on their file. This data includes things like the suspect’s photograph, their name, their date of birth, previous crimes including speeding, any drug dependencies and mental health conditions, and even their immigration status, including if they are an asylum-seeker.

The pocket-sized scanner, which costs under £300, crawls through the two major national fingerprint police databases, the IDENT1 and the IABS. The former contains fingerprint records of those who have previously been taken into custody as well as those who have been convicted but not charged with a crime. IABS, on the other hand, contains the information of non-UK citizens, taken from citizens’ fingerprints when they first entered the country.

The devices will be rolled out across the country, with the Home Office expecting to have it in the hands of 20 further police forces by the end of the year.

Police in the UK can now scan fingerprints from anyone on the street using portable devices that identify immigrants and criminals in minutes

 

[Pickman's model]

Poor bit of writing, esp that bit about convicted but not charged with a crime. And just cos you're in their shitty database you're not automatically a crim.

 

[dessiato]

1984. Been here for years and getting closer all the time. How long before we aren't allowed to do anything but what they control?

 

[dessiato]

Poor bit of writing, esp that bit about convicted but not charged with a crime. And just cos you're in their shitty database you're not automatically a crim.

Bet the police officer checking you doesn't think like that.

 

[Pickman's model]

Bet the police officer checking you doesn't think like that.

Don't bet on certainties

 

[Saul Goodman]

I can't see how this can possibly work.
Can they legally take your fingerprints without arresting you?
Can they arrest you without suspecting you have committed a crime?

Oh, OK. I see the flaw in my second question.

 

[Cloo]

Well, this isn't going to end up targeting only certain groups at all.

 

[elbows]

A bit of jargon I dont think I noticed in that particular article is that this is an early example of the Biometric Services Gateway API being put to use. In the form of a smartphone app + peripheral scanner hardware.

edited to add more jargon that is currently used in this arena:

Home Office Biometrics (HOB)

 

[Artaxerxes]

I suppose in theory it'll save time, won't get dragged to station for your prints.

The coppers will still think your a cunt and try and arrest you though.

 

[BackStabbath]

Sounds good. Bad people will be caught quicker.

 

[editor]

Sounds good. Bad people will be caught quicker.

Yes because the police had a long established tradition of only stopping andd searching and harassing 'bad people,' and never ever abuse any powers they've been given. No sir.

 

[Supine]

I can't see a problem with it in general terms.

Does the scanning save new prints to the db?

 

[BackStabbath]

when I got arrested it was deserved. It normally is

 

[editor]

when I got arrested it was deserved. It normally is

It's been great having you back on board. Now fuck off.

 

[BackStabbath]

Wow. Touchy

 

[editor]

Wow. Touchy

Righteous.

*opens window to waft away whiffy Eau D'Returner

 

[Supine]

Haha. Did you IP finger print him?

 

[Saul Goodman]

I can't see a problem with it in general terms.

Does the scanning save new prints to the db?

Are you serious?
Will you not see a problem with it when they want to biochip you at birth?
Will you not see a problem with it when they bring back internment without trial, because someone looks like they might commit a crime?
How about guilty until proven innocent? Surely only criminals would have a problem with that, eh!

 

[squirrelp]

I can't see a problem with it in general terms.

Does the scanning save new prints to the db?

Stepping stone, isn't it? At what point do we say enough privacy violations? Because if people get accustomed to random fingerprint scanning, keeping the scan on record will just be like a quiet admin change.

And good luck finding out if there isn't a sneaky copy being retained by our intelligence agencies who surely get to see everything that passes through police hands.

 

[Supine]

Are you serious?
Will you not see a problem with it when they want to biochip you at birth?
Will you not see a problem with it when they bring back internment without trial, because someone looks like they might commit a crime?
How about guilty until proven innocent? Surely only criminals would have a problem with that, eh!

Your asking if I see problems with different issues.

 

[Supine]

Ever travel abroad? My prints are on databases in a few countries already. I haven't been committing crimes there so no big deal.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Ever travel abroad? My prints are on databases in a few countries already. I haven't been committing crimes there so no big deal.

So you don't see any issues with having your biometric data stored and accessible/used by some of the most corrupt people on the planet? You can't see how that could be a problem?

 

[Supine]

accessible/used by some of the most corrupt people on the planet?

I don't agree with this premise so no

 

[Saul Goodman]

Stepping stone, isn't it?

More a slippery slope. A very slippery slope, and if we accept this absolute intrusion on our privacy, we're handing them the keys to our privacy.
I cannot believe anybody would willingly accept this shit.
Donno what's happening with my quote thing but hey ho

 

[Saul Goodman]

I don't agree with this premise so no

You don't believe cops are corrupt?
Bless.

 

[Saul Goodman]

I can see exactly how this is going to pan out.
Your fingerprints will be taken and stored on a database. But don't worry, if you don't commit a crime within 12 months you will be able to apply to have your fingerprints removed from the database.

I can't wait to avail of this wonderful service. Where do I sign up!

 

[Saul Goodman]

And because nobody stood up for their rights, let's allow them to take it a step further. DNA swabs at birth!
You've not committed a crime so what's the problem!

 

[Saul Goodman]

Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998 provides a right to privacy, including personal identity.
How is this not a breach of that right?

 

[stethoscope]

Ever travel abroad? My prints are on databases in a few countries already. I haven't been committing crimes there so no big deal.

That's about the worst argument ever when it comes to issues of privacy and use/misuse of personal data.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

Between this and the face scanners introduced in China...we are definitely on the road to a Big Brother is watching us world.


I want to go back to the real 1984.