1984, databases, and facial recognition

TRX
03-01-2011

Back in the 1980s, the first primitive data systems used by the local police kept track of open warrants. When the police stopped someone for a traffic violation, they'd radio back the name to the station and someone would key the name into a PC. To save space, back when hard disks were tiny, they just kept track by name... but for some reason, not indexed to a unique driver's license number. There were two other people in my town with the same name I have, and BOTH of them were habitual criminals, and usually there was an outstanding warrant on at least one of them. This caused a number of stressful encounters with the police.

Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s the Fed started using facial recognition systems in airports, some bus stations, and some Federal buildings. It was big news in places like PC Week and Datamation, but the mainstream media never paid it any attention. I'm sure the coverage has been broadened substantially, and it would all be under Homeland Security now.

There's a small problem, though. Faces aren't unique. There's at least one bastard out there walking around with my face. He's the same age within a few weeks, weighs about the same, has the same hairstyle and same glasses. He keeps his beard a bit longer than I keep mine, but most recognition software ignores facial hair anyway.

And who my evil twin? Meet Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, terrorist and leader of the Hezbollah. *Just* the sort of thing you want to set off a Level 1 alert when you walk into a Federal building...

Luckily, the Fed doesn't seem to *do* anything with the recognition data they process from the cameras; at least, they don't seem to do anything about illegal aliens or known criminals.

"In every day in every way, life makes you a little more paranoid."