NSA building new database

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bignflnut
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NSA building new database

Post by bignflnut »

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is quietly building what will likely become the largest database of biometric and biographic data on citizens and foreigners in the United States. The agency’s new Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART)database will include multiple forms of biometrics—from face recognition to DNA, data from questionable sources, and highly personal data on innocent people. It will be shared with federal agencies outside of DHS as well as state and local law enforcement and foreign governments. And yet, we still know very little about it.

The records DHS plans to include in HART will chill and deter people from exercising their First Amendment protected rights to speak, assemble, and associate. Data like face recognition makes it possible to identify and track people in real time, including at lawful political protests and other gatherings. Other data DHS is planning to collect—including information about people’s “relationship patterns” and from officer “encounters” with the public—can be used to identify political affiliations, religious activities, and familial and friendly relationships. These data points are also frequently colored by conjecture and bias.

In late May, EFF filed comments criticizing DHS’s plans to collect, store, and share biometric and biographic records it receives from external agencies and to exempt this information from the federal Privacy Act. These newly-designated “External Biometric Records” (EBRs) will be integral to DHS’s bigger plans to build out HART. As we told the agency in our comments, DHS must do more to minimize the threats to privacy and civil liberties posed by this vast new trove of highly sensitive personal data.
The article only mentions 1st amendment rights, but we all know that the 2nd isn't far behind, being a target which the openness of the internet has helped preserve.
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WhyNot
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Re: NSA building new database

Post by WhyNot »

I tried to tell everyone after 9-11. President Bush created the monster, everyone golf clapped. Oh this is so so necessary. We will fight and defeat terrorismses. I said, but if Bill Clinton created a whole new branch of gov't out of thin air, you same golf clappers wold be bitter envy type tykes, at best.
I said, the potential for abuse from future administrations is huoooge.

No one listened.
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