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Comment by mieseratte | Hacker News Reader

> This app doesn't provide the government any new information

> wished to do what you described then this app wouldn't be the proverbial gateway drug to that point.

It's not about "gateway drug" - it's about taking small, incremental steps to get from point A to point B such that you don't realize it, and each action is a small change from the previous. This is widely known as Salami Slicing[0], though I like to call it "slow boiling a frog."

This is the same tactic I use to slowly bring errant teams and projects up-to-code at work, start off slow with a build server, add in pass-fail rules, add in style rules, add in test requirements, add in code review to ensure these things are up to snuff and before you know it we have a nice compliant project, whereas if I walked in on Day 0 and laid down the law there is guaranteed revolt.

[0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salami_slicing

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But it's not an incremental step. The French government already had that database. This is just using the data they already had in a new way.

> But it's not an incremental step. The French government already had that database. This is just using the data they already had in a new way.

Yes, it is a new, small, incremental step!

This is introducing a new procedure, a procedure they can change later to move the needle forward.

This is the whole point, doing small incremental steps. Each of which appears rather banal and unobjectionable.

That you don't care is proof it works!

Anything can change later, even removing a procedure could be a prelude to adding a new, more invasive one.

An incremental step requires an increment. Nothing gets incremented here. The French government already had this data, and already used it to biometrically identify people. The only thing this inches toward is to a reduction in the number of public functionaries. This is the automated checkout system for State services, nothing more.

> Nothing gets incremented here.

People's expectations and willingnesses are moved forward. Overton Window.

> This is the automated checkout system for State services, nothing more.

Look beyond the superficial, at larger issues.

Anyone can shoot any idea down by reducing it to a simple, innocuous sounding concept to make the other look ridiculous.

Claiming "there's nothing here" is wrong, saying "I recognize the potential for bad, but choose to accept that risk" is a different story.

> People's expectations and willingnesses are moved forward.

No, they aren't.

> Look beyond the superficial, at larger issues.

I'm looking at the larger issues. I just disagree with you. I don't think you have made your case.

> Anyone can shoot any idea down by reducing it to a simple, innocuous sounding concept to make the other look ridiculous.

Just as anyone can argue that any change to process is salami slicing even when nothing of any real value is being incremented.

I do understand your concern and I think healthy skepticism is a good thing. I’m just not convinced your so arguments are consistent with the facts being presented.

The risk here is that at some point the biometric data might become directly available to the administrations... (and through a shared database !)

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