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Is anyone else disturbed by this?

• mindcrime 5y ago
  Yes. I won't be using it, that's for damn sure.
• oceanplexian 5y ago
  I'm disturbed, but it started a long time ago. If you have a drivers license or a passport your face is already in a whole host of photo recognition databases. If you've ever applied for a credit card, bought insurance or made an insurance claim, paid a utility bill, received a professional license, been party to a lawsuit, bought a house or car, rented an apartment, it's in a database like LexisNexis (You can order yours free, mine was >100 pages). And for the record, these private companies turn it over to law enforcement for a monthly subscription fee without a warrant and at the click of a button. The reality is, privacy is dead. All aspects of our lives are tracked and recorded. The only question is what comes next.
  • digisign 5y ago
    Agreed, although I don't know what "paying a utility bill" means in this context.
    • oceanplexian 5y ago
      It’s just more information that can be pieced together via parallel construction to nail you without a warrant. Every time you pay a bill it has your address, service address, account information, and so on associated with it. Your local law enforcement will pull this up as easily as you do a Google Search. It’s legal because they volunteer this information to consumer reporting agencies that make a profit selling it to the government. Welcome to the capitalistic public-private spy state.
• throwawayboise 5y ago
  I understand the need e.g. to ensure that the proper person is getting tax refunds or benefits, but I am bothered by it. I am not sure, however, how to have at the same time a strong method to identify people that isn't also ripe for abuse. I guess just doing away with government benefits and individual taxes is another way to go. I'd be all on board with that.