Clarksburg (WV) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is preparing to collect a vast amount of biometric data, including an individual's characteristics, such as "the way they walk".  The database will eventually be deployed world-wide, allowing law enforcement agencies unprecedented access to uniquely identifying traits.  The 10-year contract will cost taxpayers $1 billion, and is scheduled to be awarded to some lucky contractor next month.


The data being captured includes the existing digital facial images, fingerprints and even entire palm patterns.  It will now expand to include "iris patterns, face-shape data, scars and perhaps even the unique ways people walk and talk".  All of these will allow law enforcement authorities around the world to help solve crimes and identify criminals and terrorists.

The database being designed is part of the FBI's unofficial "bigger, faster, better" program.  It will augment the existing two football-field, underground, climate-controlled, secure facility in Clarksburg's Appalachian foothills.  Currently, a request for an FBI search reaches their computers every second, with up to 100,000 searches being performed each day.

The FBI currently holds 55 million electronic fingerprints.  900,000 law enforcement agencies of federal, state and local, can query the fingerprint database.  The program eventually hopes to branch out to such an extent that as part of a routine traffic stop, a full 10-finger fingerprint search is run within seconds.  A portable handheld device would collect the prints, wirelessly send the info across a network to a computer that would perform the search.  The results would be known within seconds, and a digital record of that traffic stop is automatically updated in the central computer.

Read more ... Washington Post.

Uhhh i really hope not...

Dec 27, 2007 16:22     

a full 10 finger fingerprint search each traffic stop? isn't that a severe violation of privacy? i'm not saying that it wont help tons but that seems almost minority report-ish right there.
Kyle report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Great...

Dec 27, 2007 16:26     

....This could be a good thing, but mostly I see it as a bad thing.
Kalt report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Oh Noes!

Dec 27, 2007 17:50     

Crap...they'll surely find me now :(
Jason report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Visiphor Corporation

Dec 27, 2007 18:28     

If Visiphor is a part of this, their stock will skyrocket. They are a Canadian public company that does facial recognition and data integration and have already done business with the FBI, Homeland Security, and numerous law enforcement agencies. The Chairman actually held the second highest position within the FBI. Present market cap: less than $4 million!
Bioman report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

bah

Dec 27, 2007 20:02     

Just another reason not to go anywhere near america.
Allan report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

So When will we get another Schindler's List ?

Dec 28, 2007 02:01     

and whos the target of eugenics this time ?
LogicallyGenius report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Wow you've got my name... wtf

Dec 28, 2007 06:53     

I'm sure that Syd Barrett would have a 20 minute fit of a song about this. It's with no bang or whimper that Americans' rights are removed. It is with misinformation, fear tactics, and flagrant indoctrination of superiority in authority that what was once unthinkable comes to pass. It doesn't stop, either. Not while the power lays firmly in the grasp of that 1%.
Allan, too report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

concerned

Dec 28, 2007 10:16     

Papers please! And fingerprints! And face scan! And DNA sample! NOW!!! *pepper spray to face* I stopped you for not signaling that lane change. [You forgot the casual taser shot. -Rick]
Smokr report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

lol

Dec 28, 2007 10:46     

this could be a bad thing really
ace report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Hello Big Brother! Didn't the east germans' do this...

Dec 28, 2007 10:49     

Hello Big Brother! Didn't the east germans' do this and isn't that why we went to war with them to stop "papers please" these are just electronic papers it's no better
Dietler report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

I gotta say, I'm not much of a fan....

Dec 28, 2007 11:20     

I gotta say, I'm not much of a fan.
diz report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Do your research and SAVE American rights

Dec 28, 2007 11:57     

www.ronpaul2008.com
David report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Not worried

Dec 28, 2007 16:39     

I'm not worried. The FBI's track record with IT isn't exactly stellar. I'm only worried about the fact that 1 billion will be 20 billion by the time they realized they've blown it again and cancelt the whole shooting match. Besides, the privacy battle was lost at the airports.
Jim L report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

RE: Not worried

Dec 28, 2007 21:33     

The problem is that they will do it wrong. It is bad enough when they arrest you because you are the right person. wait till they start arresting you because a computer thinks your prints look like someone else's. Who wants to be the first to spend a few years in a terrorist detention facility because someone switched a field in a database entry.
RalfTheDog report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0