FBI To Collect Biometric Information On British Visitors

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 12-22-2007 | Tim Shipman

[blam]

FBI to collect biometric information on British visitors

By Tim Shipman in Washington
Last Updated: 3:11pm GMT 22/12/2007

British visitors to the US will have details of their physical characteristics added to a new billion dollar database under plans drawn up by the FBI.

Fingerprints, iris scans and even details of the way people walk, their scars and the size and shape of their ear lobes will be collected.

British intelligence agencies and police will also be able to access the information – giving them potentially more biometric data on British citizens than the Government collects at home.

Under the plans, revealed by the Washington Post, the FBI database will include details on everyone who applies for a visa to enter the US.

Fingerprint information on British tourists is already collected and held by the US Department of Homeland Security.

But the FBI database will also include iris identification, which is being slowly introduced at some ports of entry.

Researchers at West Virginia University are working on technology for the FBI that will let them capture images of people's irises at distances of up to 15 feet, and of faces from as far away as 200 yards, without them even knowing.

The database will allow the FBI to check all entrants to the US against the faces, fingerprints, palm prints and irises of known terrorists and wanted criminals.

More than 900,000 American police and law enforcement officials will be able to access the data.

A contract to develop the database will be awarded next month. Critics say that peoples’ bodies will effectively become their international identity card – with the downside that if criminals steal your identity and were able to, for example, mimic your iris with a contact lens, you can’t just go and get a new eyeball like you would a new credit card.

Civil liberties campaigners criticised the plans. Barry Steinhardt of the American Civil Liberties Union said: "It's enabling the always-on surveillance society."

[blam]

UK foreign visitors will 'need biometric visas'

[NormsRevenge]

they’re doing it with ear lobes these days. wow.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Meanwhile, border security looks like this:

[btcusn]

And when will we be scanning those who cross our southern border?
Jack

[Enterprise]

"And when will we be scanning those who cross our southern border?"

*Crickets*

[Snickersnee]

Hullo; Ministry of Silly Walks here... you want what?

[Cobra64]

Bingo!

[wastedyears]

They’ve already overstepped their bounds.

[Clint Williams]

Yup. And wait until other contries collecting biometrics of visitors to their countries (such as Japan) agree to exchanges with the U.S.

But there's no danger in this, of course, right?

[VOA]

bump

[festus]

Well the dental records will be of no use.

[Does so]

"... Barry Steinhardt of the American Civil Liberties Union said: 'It's enabling the always-on surveillance society'..."

Something like "Vigilance"?

[Rikstir]

Shocking breach once again of my human rights. What right does any foreign government have to my personal information, that they are just going to sell on for a bit of profit?

A few years back I flew to US and found out later on that US had collected 20 separate pieces of information on me. Bank details, D.O.B, favourite colour, orientation etc...

Its a Big Brother world and in it my rights don’t amount to a hill of beans.

[kalee]

Right my Auntie's visiting family are potential terrorists but those criminals coming across the southern border are not. That aside for the moment this is scary. "British intelligence agencies and police will also be able to access the information – giving them potentially more biometric data on British citizens than the Government collects at home." How long before Britain makes the same demand on US citizens entering their country and shares the info with our government? What an easy end run around our laws preventing this sort of thing by our own government.