Originally posted by obilesk
Anyone else think this could help lay the foundation for a more centralized international tracking system? I mean, for non criminals as well...?

Are you thinking of going somewhere you don't want other people to know about? Hiding out somewhere for some shady reason? Very interesting.

As for myself, I generally prefer to have people know where I am. I carry my cell phone. Somebody usually has some kind of contact information for me, and some knowledge of where I am. Just in case I fall off a cliff and break both legs, I prefer somebody come looking for me.

I don't know what you might be involved in that you want to keep your whereabouts a secret.

Biometric means eye scans and such right? They would be set up in high traffic areas and pinpoint faces. Some of this is already being used is it not, just not a joint international effort.

The announcement of the database proposals follows the news earlier this week that the U.K. has completed a system to check the fingerprints of every visa applicant.

This would be ideal for immigrants coming into America as well as the illegals. Any caught would be fingerprinted and have an iris scan. When they need to apply for American privileges, they have to submit an iris scan. Comes up they are illegal, give em the boot.

[edit on 16-1-2008 by PontiacWarrior]

I don't really see how this can be abused against ones freedom of privacy. I am kinda on the fence but I see this system might be a good thing not a bad thing.

I have nothing to hide..at least nothing illegal. I just have a feeling that this may be one of those things that start out as a "watch the bad guys" sort of thing in order to lay a foundation for technology that can be exploited and abused should a world government materialize. Ya know, get it in place while it still has the support of the people..then WHAM! We got ya!

I have a serious problem with the "I'm not a criminal and have nothing to hide so let them watch" argument. As Question pointed out through example, when does the line get crossed? Or better yet, where's the line? Is there one? If I am in public and/or using a public network or system, then keeping an eye on what I am doing is not all that different from my company having the right to search "my" locker that is on their premises. It belongs to them, so they have the right to go in and search it all they want.

On the other hand, anyone who bothers to do their homework and read their history knows that the federal government was essentially set up to provide foreign policy and to protect constitutional rights of individuals when states purposely or inadvertently abused those rights. It of course had other intents, but monitoring the public and/or private comings and goings of individuals was definitely not one of them. The constitution being a living document, it is meant to be amended as the times require, however, removing essential liberties, such as the right to privacy, or abridging them, is clearly not what the "allowance of amendment" concept covers.

Am I wrong, or misinformed? I would like to be corrected if privacy is not a protected right for law-abiding citizens.

Originally posted by Question
But hey, since you seem to like the idea so much. How about we call the govt. and try to set up so that you have 3 FBI agents following you around everywhere you go, monitor everything you do. Need to go tinkle? better tell the agent you're going to the bathroom because apparently you've not "grown up" enough to go by yourself. I know, everytime you go to the library or surf the net, have those FBI agents looking over your shoulder to make sure you don't visit any "suspicious" websites. Sound like fun?

I pity the FBI agents assigned to monitor my every move. I can't think of anything more boring -- and a huge waste of taxpayer money! As for people watching me take a leak, I go to public restrooms. I don't know what kind of delicate flower you are or how many doors you need to lock before you can go pee-pee. People monitoring web traffic? Hey, your activities are every bit as trackable as mine, and being on this site is probably of more interest to the FBI than any porno site I might drop into. And the government, if they wanted to, is already able to track our web activity. Again, I don't know what kind of kiddie death porn sites you're visiting, but I personally don't have anything to be worried about.

[edit on 17-1-2008 by Nohup]