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Comment by dekrg | Hacker News Reader

EU citizens have to give their biometric data to the government to get a passport.

Does that mean EU treats it's citizens like criminals?

Yes. I don't like having to give my fingerprint data, which no doubt will be stolen from their databases especially now that they intend to unify them and allow all sorts of agencies to have access to it, just to be allowed to travel in what's supposed to be a an almost border-free region.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/...

Not saying its right, but they have so many fingerprints of non-criminals. Anyone who has served in the US military has their biometrics and fingerprints on file. Jobs with children (teachers, daycare workers, church child care people) can and do require fingerprint-based background checks. Gun carry licensees in most states also require a fingerprint-based FBI background check as part of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System pre-screen.

Not fingerprints, just facial biometrics from the photograph (UK at least).

OP meant Schengen when they said EU.

Well, I prefer to give my data to my country not some foreign one.

Considering how poor infosec is in most organizations (and countries), it's safe to assume that parties other than just your country have access to your data.

I didn't have to give any biometrics away when I got my passport last year.

Germany takes finger prints of both index fingers when getting a passport. Not all ten fingers like at the US border.

And they're supposed to only store the data temporarily until it gets put on the passport chip (i.e. not go into the database).

Of course there's no way to verify that, but I generally have a bit more trust in German authoroties.

(you can also travel widely with just an ID card which doesn't get the biometrics, although that does limit you to Europe.)

I got an EU passport a month ago, they have a photo of my face thats all the biometric data they wanted.

Yes, and I don't give them shit.

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