Clear Airport Security Pass and the FBI building a biometrics database

[XOKCowboy]

I fly a lot. Unfortunately last year I didn't fly enough to qualify for Executive Premier status which allows me to use the short security lines. For this reason I was looking into the FlyClear program.

http://www.flyclear.com/about/

When I got to reading the requirements for qualification I got a little freaked out by the required retina scan. The Gubment already has my fingerprints and a buttload of information about me I'm sure but I balked at sending a retina scan to our benevolent Gubment for my file.

Then today this story comes out.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/02/04/fbi.biometrics/index.html

The FBI is gearing up to create a massive computer database of people's physical characteristics, all part of an effort the bureau says to better identify criminals and terrorists.

The FBI wants to use eye scans, combined with other data, to help identify suspects. But it's an issue that raises major privacy concerns -- what one civil liberties expert says should concern all Americans.

The bureau is expected to announce in coming days the awarding of a $1 billion, 10-year contract to help create the database that will compile an array of biometric information -- from palm prints to eye scans.

Kimberly Del Greco, the FBI's Biometric Services section chief, said adding to the database is "important to protect the borders to keep the terrorists out, protect our citizens, our neighbors, our children so they can have good jobs, and have a safe country to live in."

Now I'm glad I didn't sign up. It might be too little too late but I'll keep my retina's to myself as long as I can.

[ixion]

1. This crap simply must stop... disband the TSA and return our civil liberties

I really don't think I can stand living in a world of retina scans and DNA sampling. :(

[XOKCowboy]

3. Terra, Terra, Terra!!!

The nice lady from the FBI assured us that it was for our own protection! Why don't I trust them? :shrug:

[truebrit71]

2. Don't you just love the irony ' you must surrender your civil rights in order for us to protect you'

..it would be funny if it weren't so scary...

[XOKCowboy]

4. George Orwell must be laughing his ass off...

watching what's happening now.

[truebrit71]

5. Either that or shaking his head in disbelief...

...:shrug:

Who knew that a book I read in high school would come to fruition in my lifetime?

[dmallind]

6. Maybe it's me

...but the thought of the pattern of my optical capillaries being on a government database does not give me any kind of horror of creeping totalitarianism or make me worry about losing the invaluable civil liberty of keeping restricted knowledge of my inner eye structure between me and my opthalmologist. I'm sure there are plenty of things I would NOT want to share with the government, but details of my eyeball are not among them.

[XOKCowboy]

7. I see your point..

Fingerprint id technology has been around for years and I've given them by choice and by demand. Heck all of my passport scans, flights, credit card usage and probably all of my bank transactions, emails and phone messages have been tracked and probably logged somewhere. A retina scan just strikes me as being a little too personal, too Big Brotherish.

I'll wait till I'm "required" to give them then run for the border as soon as possible.