All your data belongs to us

[TriggerHippy]

Make passports biometric and upgrade the system. Make it like the american system where you have to open the book for it to be readable.

Would that be the same passport that's been successfully read from 65 meters away while still closed ????

http://www.economist.com/sciencetech...ry_id=14066895

[RichardCranium]

I know this is really, really anal, but

All your data belongs to us

All your datum are belong to us

[Gonzo]

Yes, make the passport have a dual role rather than 2 different systems, one being a new labour monumental "we know what is good for IT" flip up.

Open a bank account, get an ISA, mortgage right down to joining a cash and carry, all of them as for a passport.

If they were proposing that the ID cards would replace all the other "official" documents that you currently have to spend time and money renewing periodically - passport, driving licence etc then I might see that their introduction could be beneficial.

For people like me anyway.

There are still plenty of people in the UK who don't travel abroad and don't drive so have no need for any of this stuff. It would be a harder job to sell it to them.

But currently it seems to be an additional official token to pay for so they can flip off.

[craig_m67]

<snip>

Did you mean Iris scan or retina?

<snip>

It's probably neither. Your iris changes over time and a retinia is difficult to scan (or so i'm told).

Australia has been testing/developing an ePassport using face recognition (SmartGate). This was up and running, clearing flight crews back in 2002. The pass/fail rate was pretty good. It took about 20seconds for your face to be mapped, then you swiped/pinged/zapped your ePassport and you're away. Unsure what's happened to it as I left in 2003, however there was significant investment in it

[expat]

Would that be the same passport that's been successfully read from 65 meters away while still closed ????

http://www.economist.com/sciencetech...ry_id=14066895

... and used in Iraq to detonate roadside bombs when an American is near? No, thanks.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

With money laundering compliance they will demand that one is produced. I worked for the Fraud Squad for some time and from what I learned there I could rip off pretty much anyone through a dozen means, there should be something more than what is there just now. Usually the arguments aganst it are pretty weak. Anyway I have better things to do.

The arguments against are only weak if you're in favour, of course. So far I haven't seen a single argument in favour that bears even the most cursory examination

[minestrone]

The arguements against are only weak if you're in favour, of course. So far I haven't seen a single argument in favour that bears even the most cursory examination

It is impossible to accurately identify someone in this country. I could get another persons passport with my picture on it easily, very easily. Same with driver license, I could get anyone's birth certificate, I could get mosts people's medical records very easily. Is it any wonder that there is so much identify theft going on?

As I said I worked for the fraud squad and learned all these tricks from crimes that are already being committed day in day out.

It's Luddites like you that hold back methods to stop that.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I know this is really, really anal, but All your datum are belong to us

Isn't datum singular though? Isn't it like saying all your foot are belong to us?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

It is impossible to accurately identify someone in this country. I could get another persons passport with my picture on it easily, very easily. Same with driver license, I could get anyone's birth certificate, I could get mosts people's medical records very easily. Is it any wonder that there is so much identify theft going on?

As I said I worked for the fraud squad and learned all these tricks from crimes that are already being committed day in day out.

It's Luddites like you that hold back methods to stop that.

I don't accept that it's impossible to ID people - it is true that it's hard to ID the minority who play the system. As for the wonder of biometrics, why do you suppose they would be any diiferent? You might (at a huge expense) be able to verify that the fingerprints of the person in front of you match those on their passport, and they look a bit like the person in the photo, but how does that tell you their name? What you are doing is pretending there's a simple tech solution to a complex problem when there isn't. As for calling me a Luddite, I was trying to stick to the facts (and throw in a few opinions) without getting personal

[RichardCranium]

Isn't datum singular though? Isn't it like saying all your foot are belong to us?

Yes.