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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Homeland Security to test iris scanners - USATODAY.com

This sounds useful, intelligent and an proper use of technology for law enforcement and border security...naturally the usual suspects are complaining.
Homeland Security to test iris scanners - USATODAY.com
WASHINGTON — The Homeland Security Department plans to test futuristic iris scan technology that stores digital images of people's eyes in a database and is considered a quicker alternative to fingerprints.



The department will run a two-week test in October of commercially sold iris scanners at a Border Patrol station in McAllen, Texas, where they will be used on illegal immigrants, ..."The test will help us determine how viable this is for potential (department) use in the future," .....

Iris scanners are little used, but a new generation of cameras that capture images from 6 feet away instead of a few inches has sparked interest from government agencies and financial firms...

...The technology also has sparked objections from the American Civil Liberties Union.

ACLU lawyer Christopher Calabrese fears that the cameras could be used covertly. "If you can identify any individual at a distance and without their knowledge, you literally allow the physical tracking of a person anywhere there's a camera and access to the Internet," he said.

Why am I not surprised...ACLU is showing it's selective outrage.
...In 2007, the U.S. military began taking iris scans of thousands of Iraqis to track suspected militants. The technology was used in about 20 U.S. airports from 2005 to 2008 to identify passengers in the Registered Traveler program, who could skip to the front of security lines.
Again, I'm wondering were is the American Criminal Lovers Union defending the poor Iraqi.....

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