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back to article MPs to gaze upon biometric data industry's ID-gobbling tech

The growing use and slurping of biometric data is to be probed by MPs sitting on the UK's science and technology committee this autumn. An inquiry has been opened following the failure of the Home Office's Iris Recognition Immigration System, which was axed by the Tory-led coalition government in 2012. Politicos on the panel …

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  1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

    Of course new laws are required

    1) A finger print left by a 3D-printed fake finger at a crime scene should be sufficient to convict anyone but a politician.

    2) A phone company should be able to use your finger print with your bank if you forget to pay your bill.

    3) All biometric data should be sent to GCHQ in case they need to impersonate you.

    4) Wearing a Theresa May face mask should be an offence punishable by summary execution because you must be a terrorist.

    Did I miss anything?

    18 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Did I miss anything?

      5) Anyone who fails to comply with orders to give up their biometric data to the government or their spooks will be sent to special re-education camps.

      11 0 Reply
      1. Ho Ho Hipster
        Reply Icon

        Re: Did I miss anything?

        6) There is no Rule 6.

        4 0 Reply

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. tony2heads
      Reply Icon
      Trollface

      Re: Of course new laws are required

      How about Theresa May herself?

      1 0 Reply
      1. John Bailey
        Reply Icon

        Re: Of course new laws are required

        "How about Theresa May herself?"

        Is it really in the public interest to check of it is a mask first.

        0 0 Reply
        1. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Of course new laws are required

          So, just anyone who looks like a politician?

          Worth a go.

          0 0 Reply
  2. Cipher
    Big Brother

    Let's get it over with...

    Barcoded subcutaneous implants for everyone. Makes 2 factor authentication easy and ubiquitous.

    No more credit cards, passwords, all solved... Authorization at a hand wave...

    I welcome this Brave New World and our Digital Overlords. Everything will be perfect Comrades...

    5 0 Reply
    1. tony2heads
      Reply Icon
      Coat

      Re: Let's get it over with...

      I think you mean New World Order.

      Icon: I doubles as a Faraday cage when I put the hood up

      1 0 Reply
      1. Chris G
        Reply Icon
        Coat

        Re: Let's get it over with...

        Eventually the entire population wil have had an ID chip fired into their neck at birth.

        Then the phrase 'well grounded' will come to have a new meaning.

        Mine's the Faraday ankle length hoody with the drop down face veil... or is it a Burkah?

        0 0 Reply
  3. Graham Marsden
    Big Brother

    How dare these companies slurp biometric data?

    That's *OUR* job!!

    2 0 Reply
  4. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    I agree...

    Fingerprints for school meals?

    Facial recognition software with mass CCTV surveillance?

    DNA testing and retention of kids and innocent people?

    Biometric passports?

    So personal screw the private companies, I can opt out of those. Sort your own bloody lot out 1st.

    As a side note, I trust Tesco's with my data far more than the government or police.

    4 0 Reply
  5. Wokstation

    My fingerprints change daily

    Due to a nasty skin condition, my fingerprints are in permanent flux. Big flakey scabs, blisters, serum... have often wondered if they'll even remotely resemble the fingerprints taken 25yrs ago!

    1 1 Reply
    1. phil dude
      Reply Icon
      FAIL

      Re: My fingerprints change daily

      wow, someone downvoted you! that's harsh...

      Here's an upvote to counteract the random downvote.

      A FAIL for the govts continual attempt to classify humans as livestock....

      P.

      1 0 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Linux

      Re: My fingerprints change daily

      I don't have many skin conditions but I have a bus pass so my fingerprints change during the day. I realised this when I was fool enough to get one of those dumb phones with password recognition. Set it during the evening and next morning it won't work so I enter the password and try again, later in the morning (after the water pills have worked) I try again and again it won't work................

      PS I don't have the dumb phone any more.

      0 0 Reply
  6. Allevate

    Why does the author think IRIS was a failure

    I firmly support parliamentary oversight of this technology.

    I would like to query, completely separately to this, why the author feels the IRIS programme was a failure?

    My views on this matter can be found here:

    http://allevate.com/blog/index.php/2012/02/17/does-turning-off-the-iris-system-at-manchester-and-birmingham-represent-a-failure-of-biometrics/

    0 0 Reply

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