MATRIX may die in Utah

MATRIX has been billed by law enforcement as a quick and efficient means to track criminals using hundreds of confidential and public databases. But it has been vilified by civil libertarians for its potential to monitor the private lives of law-abiding citizens.
The program was initiated last summer when Utah and 12 other states signed up for the pilot program to create the super database. Utah began sending its confidential data � driver's licenses, motor vehicle registrations, criminal history and Department of Corrections files � to MATRIX on July 31, and by late August or early September Utah's data had been interfaced with databases from the rest of the participating states.


deseretnews.com...
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BIG BROTHER COMING TO GET YA!

The Matrix Has you...

Okay enugh with the puns here...But really we knew that if in the wrong hands ("Right" hands for that matter) it would be a way to spy on people abiding by the law. I mean come on...do you really thing something called the MATRIX would be just spying crimals? Sheesh ....

Buty I doubt it will die. it is like RFID. They said that they will not use them, but they use them anyway.

[Edited on 5-2-2004 by Curiosity]

Originally posted by Curiosity
The Matrix Has you...

Buty I doubt it will die. it is like RFID. They said that they will not use them, but they use them anyway.

[Edited on 5-2-2004 by Curiosity]

It wont die. It will probably just get renamed and used again.

So last year, when everyone knew the negative connotations this name had to it, they started the MATRIX supercomputer database? Luckily they were dumb enough to name it somethng catchy so it would get the attention of people like us.

I agree that it will probably just be renamed though. Proabably name it HAL next or something....

Originally posted by Curiosity
The Matrix Has you...
But really we knew that if in the wrong hands ("Right" hands for that matter)

Is that why both Republicans and Democrats are agaisnt it?

These kinds of schemes are always marketed as a way to provide security, for deterring crime and whatnot, but these systems can also be used unfairly by people already in power against political adversaries. Once a particular group has access to this personal information, and also has political influence over courts and police departments, can this group EVER be routed from office? They're are in a position to exercise control in one direction while insulating themselves from prosecution.