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Date: 2001-11-26
Biometrics a gogo
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Flughaefen, Banken, Casinos, Sozialministerien,
Vergnuegungsparks. Immer mehr Betriebe in Europa und Uebersee
setzen auf den Einsatz von Biometrietechnologie und koennen in
Zeiten internationaler Krisen auf verbreitete Unterstuetzung der
Bevoelkerung zaehlen.
Hat da nicht jemand hierzulande vor kurzem nach Fingerprints fuer
alle geschrien ?
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Biometrics and the new security age
By Ursula Owre Masterson MSNBC NEW YORK, -- The next time
you fly through Boston, your eyes, nose and mouth may be
scrutinized -- digitally cross-checked with the eyes, noses and
mouths of suspected terrorists. Starting this month, Logan
International Airport will try out two facial recognition systems
designed to boost security after two hijacked planes originating at
the airport changed the course of history.
EVEN BEFORE September's terrorist attacks put the nation on
edge, a controversial new security and surveillance technology
known as biometrics was emerging.
[...]
Examples of the technology's early applications abound: *
London's Heathrow airport has started directing selected
international passengers to bypass immigration agents and instead
look into a machine that captures the unique pattern of the iris,
translates it into 512 bytes of binary data called an iris code and
matches it to the passengers' frequent flier numbers. * At Disney
World in Florida, annual pass holders breeze through the gates of
the Magic Kingdom by placing their hand on a scanner. * In
Connecticut, the Department of Social Services stores the digital
fingerprints of welfare recipients to combat "double dipping" fraud. *
Casinos across the country routinely use facial recognition
technology to snoop out known cheaters. * A growing number of
banks, including Texas-based Bank United, the Bank of America
and Wells Fargo, are using biometric technology to improve the
security of online banking and replace PINs and bank cards at
ATMs.
TRADE-OFFS In the pre-9/11 world, a mere reference to biometrics
raised the hackles of privacy advocates, who said the word was
synonymous with "Big Brother." Recently, however, such criticism
has been muted considerably as many Americans appear willing to
trade some privacy for more security. Despite the enormous costs
of widespread implementation and lingering disputes about the
technology's accuracy, Americans seem ready to give certain
biometrics a try.
PLEA FOR FEDERAL HELP Sept. 11 prompted commissioners
from 20 U.S. airports that together handle 166.5 million passengers
annually to meet and ask Congress for up to $4 billion in annual
reimbursement funding to offset the costs of bolstering security --
including installing biometric scanners in some airports. "We now
perceive aviation security as national security, " said Stephen Van
Beek of Airports Council International. Currently, only a handful of
airports around the globe rely on biometric ID systems, including
Iceland's Keflavik Airport and Toronto's Pearson Airport. But the
race is on to install more. In addition to Logan's tryout this month,
officials at San Francisco International, Oakland International and
Fresno airports have committed to installing some form of biometric
security devices.
[...]
Volltext: http://www.msnbc.com/news/654788.asp
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edited by Harkank
published on: 2001-11-26
comments to office@quintessenz.at
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