Morocco issues biometric ID cards

Morocco issues biometric ID cards

news.cnet.com

Morocco's national security service has begun issuing millions of "contactless," biometric identification smart cards to simultaneously fight terrorism and guarantee respect for "citizens' rights and liberty," according to that North African government.

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Related News Links:
www.smartcardalliance.org
www.techviva.com
www.morerfid.com

The wonders of the 21st century. Personally I can't help but wonder how long until this same bio-metric smart card system makes it to the states. I'd find something like this pretty useful in my line of work. (Private security). Maybe they can even put this kinda stuff in with vehicle tags as well.

Then again give it enough time and the bad guys will get their hands on the appropriate tech to circumvent the safeguards with such a system. Just like everything else.

news.cnet.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

While I understand how people can say “it makes it easier to have all the stuff on one card” etc, I just cannot understand at all how these ID cards stop terrorism?

All it means is that if a terrorist does something and has an ID card, we’ll know who they were.... I just cannot understand how it’s going to stop terrorism, it’s the same line that the Australian government spin here when they talk about issuing ID cards.

Mikey

Also this tech isn't exactly "new". It's 10 years behind. Take for example UAV tech--which has been in use for 25+ years. Back then the designers were called "mathematicians" today they are called "computer programmers".

So there's NO telling what is ALREADY out there in use.

Like I said; the bad guys are still going to find ways to circumvent the safeguards that come with this type of tech. Just like EVERYTHING else. If I was a terrorist who was professional enough? Eventually I'd find a way to make my own biometric ID card. Also take into account the Mexican drug and human trafficking cartels. Those people are EXTREMELY smart.

And my grandmother is a retired bank employee and she told me about some obsolete secret methods in making counterfeit money. One particular method involved taking fragments of incinerated bills. And although the process is painstaking? Eventually a counterfeiter came up with a whole bill in approximately one year.

Now as far as being used for preventing terrorism or any other type of heinous crime. Take me in my line of work for example. I work as a security officer. Say if I was given a nice little hi-tech gadget that can scan a person's ID fitted with bio-metrics without me having to ask them to show me their ID. (Because I can ask for their ID. But if they refuse to show it to me. I can't legally force them to show it to me unless I was a peace officer. What I CAN do is somehow sweet-talk them into giving it to me.)

Now what if I could save myself the trouble of sweet-talking and all the other bull-corn by using my trusty biometric ID scanner discreetly. Later after said person leaves I turn the information into the manager of the nightclub I work at and he'll then turn it into police and (hypothetically) so happen they find out said individual has a warrant for the arrest for a hit and run accident. Win-win.

[edit on 12/8/08 by Marked One]