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Privacy International condemns compulsory ID in NL
Privacy International has expressed grave concern about new Dutch legislation for extended compulsory identification. From 1 January 2005 every Dutchman (and tourist) 14 years and older will have to wear ID, and can be fined up to 2.250 euro for not immediately showing ID when asked to do so by any police official, or related […]
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Biometrics: EU Council wants to fingerprint every EU citizen
The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) will vote today in Strasbourg on two important reports on the introduction of biometric identifiers in EU travel documents. Both reports – on “Visas, residence permits: uniform format, photo, biometric identification” and on “Biometrics in EU citizens’ passports” are shepherded by MEP Carlos […]
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Biometrics experts sceptical about quick introduction
The Europarl Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) today organised a hearing with experts on biometrics. In his opening remarks the MEP Carlos Coelho (Conservative, Portugal) said he generally agreed with the objective of securing people’s identities, but has some doubts about adding biometric identifiers to travel documents. Coelho is the rapporteur […]
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Article 29 Working Party criticises biometrics in visas
The Article 29 Working Party (all the EU Data Protection Authorities) has released an opinion on the inclusion of biometrics in visa and residence permits for third country nationals. The EU is planning to introduce biometric identifiers in visa and residence permits and to establish a information system on visas (VIS). The visa and permits […]
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UK Information commissioner criticises ID-card
In an interview with The Times newspaper on 16 August, the UK Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has warned against the danger of ‘sleepwalking into a surveillance society’, as a result of ID cards and other plans. Mr Thomas said he was also uneasy about plans for a population register and a database of every child. […]
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Swiss protest against new personal identification number
The Swiss data protection authorities and several political parties have used a governmental consultation round to protest against a proposal to introduce a new sectoral ID number for persons, the SPIN law. According to the privacy authorities, the proposed law violates both constitutional and data protection principles. The new personal identification number would be sectoral […]
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Report about ID conference in London
Advocates, politicians and lawyers from across the political spectrum met in London on 19 May 2004 to debate UK ID card legislation. EDRi members Privacy International and FIPR organised the meeting, which heard resounding criticism of the government’s ID card plans. Highlights included the Shadow Home Secretary asking “how on earth can ID cards prevent […]
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Polish proposal to demand ID for pre-paid cards
Revising the Polish Telecommunication Act to implement the EU e-communication directives, the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure introduced a new obligation for mandatory identification of buyers of pre-paid GSM-cards. The proposal is brought as an anti-terrorism measure. State officials immediately acknowledged that the ID-demand would not make pre-paid cards totally anonymous, referring to the vivid trade […]
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Recommended reading: privacy and biometrics
The OECD working party on information security and privacy have published a very informative but dry report about biometrics. The report analyses theory and practice of the following major biometric-based technologies: finger-scanning, hand geometry, facial recognition, iris scanning, retinal scanning, finger geometry, voice recognition and dynamic signature verification. A brief description of other, more obscure […]
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Privacy International report on ID-cards and terrorism
EDRi member Privacy International has published an Interim Report on the link between identity cards and the prevention of terrorism. The report, the first of its kind, was initiated following attempts by the UK and Canadian governments to introduce biometric ID cards. The report analysed the 25 countries that have been most affected by terrorism […]
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NGOs call for halt to biometric passports
Over forty non-governmental organisations from around the world signed an open letter to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on 30 March 2004. Privacy International (an EDRI member) and the American Civil Liberties Union wrote the letter calling on the ICAO to reconsider its standards-setting on biometric travel documents. The ICAO proposes that all passports […]
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Russian plans to introduce new ID-system
The Russian government is considering a new system of personal registration for all citizens. In 2006 all Russians will be assigned a unique universal identifier. On 15 January 2004 the deputy minister of economical development Andrei Sharonov told journalists that the original proposal had been prepared by his ministry and the government supported this idea. […]
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