27 Jul 2008

All air passengers to give their fingerprints ... but is it for security or to raise profits for the duty-free shops?

Heathrow, UK: Millions of passengers flying from British airports will be fingerprinted from next year under the latest controversial Government anti-terror plans.

The measures, which will apply to both domestic and international passengers, are being introduced despite opposition from the Information Commissioner, Britain’s privacy watchdog. The Commissioner forced Heathrow to abandon a similar plan earlier this year after warning that it was potentially illegal under data protection laws.

Critics say the main reason for the scheme is that airport operators want to maximise profits by ensuring all passengers are able to spend money in ‘duty-free’ shops.

Mail Online

New Delhi, India: From next month, Delhiites will get smart cards for driving licences that will contain much more than just their photograph, signature and address. The smart cards will contain the proposed driver’s fingerprint and a record of his or her record of traffic violations, if any. And the transport department will deliver these cards at your doorstep through courier like passports are. MSN News

It's a hi-tech lunch ticket, and it's coming to several schools in our region this fall.

USA: A finger scanning program has been implemented for students who eat at school in Wayne County.

We see the eye scans and fingerprint identifications in the movies, but now that technology is coming to our local schools.

“As children go through the lunch line, they lay a finger on a scanner and will have their lunch number and be charged with that meal,” Food and Services Director Brenda Arrowood said.

When a finger is scanned for breakfast or lunch at school, you won't see a finger print. Rather, you will see the measurement between points of a fingerprint. The reason for the hi-tech lunch ticket is so the school will know who's getting lunch. WSAZ.Com