Biometrics - great hope for world security or triumph for Big Brother?

[CHIMO]

British police will almost certainly be given access in the near future to US intelligence databases containing DNA samples, fingerprints and digital images of thousands of foreign nationals seized around the world by the US as terror suspects.
"We are obtaining DNA from terrorists around the world as we encounter them," Mr Kirkpatrick said. "We have set up a terrorist screening centre. In Iraq, the high value detainees are having DNA samples, fingerprints and digital photographs taken. The numbers involved are in the thousands. We are doing it wherever it's appropriate, wherever there's a threat to the USA."
Canada, he told the conference in Morgantown, West Virginia, had already been given direct electronic access to such FBI databases. "We are having discussions with the UK, through Pito , about whether they should have access to our systems ... I would hope mutual exchanges will happen in the next few years. It's in everyone's interest that we have a good sharing mechanism."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/humanrights/story/0,7369,1241825,00.html

[phantom power]

1. it's more about how decisions get made regarding usage

For instance, consider phone tapping. It's a useful tool for catching crooks, but it can just as easily invade the privacy of any citizen.

The current justice-system requires that law enforcement get permission to wire-tap, and it also requires that the use of the wire-tap is eventually made known to the "tap-ee".

So, we shouldn't (imo) fear new technology nearly as much as we should fear breakdown in the regulation of technology.

[CHIMO]

2. Perhaps

And I say perhaps because I believe that there are cases where this does not apply.
However, in the event that your phone call is routed out of the country it could be tapped and the rules that you state don't apply. Are your calls routed over the net?
There are many ways to skin a cat.

[phantom power]

3. people will always seek to bend the rules

that's why we should all be skeptical of any system without checks and balances. And we should be skeptical of any system where the checks and balances may be failing.

For any new technology, expect it to be misused. Abuses will slip through the cracks in any system.

[dArKeR]

4. I think we're all getting sucked into a war for money by the West. The

west wants the world's money. They control all of South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, US, Mexico, Europe and the only place left they didn't 100% control was the Middle East. This is all about making sure Exxon, IBM, Boeing, Lockheed, McDonalds... are able to build their empire there. We're all bait for the corporations. The Middle East doesn't have the weapons to fight the Wests' governments so they are killing us workers and travelers in their countries. The only thing they have power to hit. This has NOTHIING to do with 'They hate our freedom' like some idiot/liars have said. (Or just incompetent). Westerners should be voting out the scum we now have in office, Bush, Blair, Howard, Koizumi... and elect new officials and demand they find solutions.