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  • Hacker News
  • I think it's an interesting visual to compare the Stasi's rows of scent jars to data centers filled with banks of flash memory storing biometric data.
    by aerostable_slug
  • Don't most people in the US get fingerprinted at some point?

    Let's see. I've been fingerprinted, all 10 fingers, for, at least, 1) the US Army, 2) security clearance for a DoD job, multiple times, 3) a permit to ride a horse on SF Water Department property, and 4) Customs and Border Protection Global Entry, which also took an iris scan.

    California DMV takes a thumbprint, but not all 10 fingers. They've been recording me at every transaction for decades.

    So I'm on file.

    I think of being IDd as a normal part of life, for any position of trust. Is this unusual?

    by Animats
  • Did you know that the State of California has a DNA sample from every person born in the state since 1983? It's required by law for the hospital to collect it and give it to the state.
    by jedberg
  • You can submit a public comment on the proposal to DHS at the link below:

    https://www.regulations.gov/document/USCIS-2025-0205-0002/co...

    by lesona
  • It's weird how many people's perception of this type of behavior is shaped by the person sitting in the White House.

    EDIT: It's also weird how my comment is being perceived exclusively as criticizing the critics of this administration rather than criticizing the supporters of this overreach. My comment was intentional phrased very generally, if you think it is specifically about you, that reveals something about you.

    by slg
  • The problem with these types of technologies is that you will be at the mercy of whoever uses them. It's like chat control, censorship, gun laws, etc. You can't control how they will be leveraged.

    I lived in California for some time a few years ago, and it was a mess, so I understand people being okay with this type of stuff if it will make them more secure, but it's a very risky slippery slope.

    The other thing is that with all the data Google has, they can probably uncover everything they need just by paying for Google Ads data :/

    by Frannky
  • One thing that i would prefer in biometrics would be that the iris/fingerprints get treated as what they are publicly available and easily obtainable data.

    At worst using it a a secret key is similar to using your name as a hidden variable for authorisation, whent it sshould strictly be a identification token.And once leaked you cant revoke it .

    Back on topic , a Gattaca type system is unbelievably bleak and when(not if) it is finallly shoved through.It wont take long to foist it on the rest of the planet (see the recent visa requirements viz social media and insane bond requirements demanded of some countries like Mali citizens being asked for $15K per visa application).

    by rzerowan
  • I remember nostalgically when this kind of thing would have been so unpopular in the USA, including (especially?) among the "populist right", that it would not have happened.

    The escalation of the surveillance security state has been quick and vast.

    by jrochkind1

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