In class on Monday, we quickly went over Chapter 5 and in it we briefly discussed about different security measures such as biometrics, physical security measures, access controls, data encryption, etc. Instead of boring you with this once more, I found an article which talked about a man and his personal experience with identity confusion. Apparently, the fraud prevention system of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles made an error an revoked this man's license. This man, John H. Gass seems to be an exemplary driver, not having a traffic ticket in years.
This anti terrorism computerized facial recognition system, used by 34 states, is used to help identify people with multiple licenses or aliases, people trying to evade the law, underage people trying to buy alcohol, etc. Sure, it seems to be a needed computer system. But like many other things in the world, nothing is perfect and errors do happen and will happen, as it did for John Gass. When people are wrongfully convicted, they have to spend so much time trying to prove who they are. It seems sort of ridiculous that we depend heavily on such systems to convict people, identify terrorists and who knows what else. There's people in jail who have been wrongfully convicted but then exonerated with DNA testing which is something we didn't always have.
On average, states find about 1,500 cases of possible fraud. Surely not all of them are actual cases of fraud. The Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet of the Federal government which was formed after the terrible terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Sure, I agree that there has to be security measures to protect our country and the people who reside in it. To what extent though? By any means necessary? So are we going to shoot poor Joe because we suspect, or rather, a anti terrorism security computer program tells us we should suspect Joe? I certainly don't think so. Where's our right to privacy? We no privacy and it appears that we have no rights either. But I guess when you think about it, there is no perfect system and even when we find the BEST one, it won't make everyone happy.
Politics is just a whole big mess and no one wins. I'll just end here.
*sigh*
source: When Facial Recognition Goes Wrong
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