Hacker News Reader

Comment by chmaynard | Hacker News Reader

How is this different than the FBI's longstanding fingerprint database? Just asking.

You ever had your fingerprints taken without you knowing and consenting/ being under arrest?

I remember going on a “field trip” to the local police station early in elementary school age where they demonstrated fingerprinting on all 10 digits. Also had an Ident-a-kid ID, which had a thumbprint on it.

While I technically “knew” my fingerprints were being taken, I guess, I certainly was not of any age where I could informedly consent to the action. Who knows what’s happened to them? (Probably nothing, but that’s definitely not a certainty in my mind.)

This is obviously more pervasive / invasive. How often did you identify yourself by fingerprint vs. every camera potentially pings your identity as you pass by.

The ACLU does not state that the FBI is doing this. They are suing to determine what policies the government has in place around facial recognition to determine whether they are allowed under current policy to do what you’re talking about.

He didn't say they were, the parent asked how it was different from fingerprints.

Right, but the ACLU article nor the Register summary do not indicate the FBI is using public video sources for this. The possibility is certainly there for abuse, but we'll have to wait for the lawsuit results to see if it is different from fingerprints.

Possibly because taking useful photos of people's fingerprints from a distance seems like a problem. Taking photos of faces seems more like solved tech.

A street camera probably can't identify you by your fingerprints.

Your neighbor's Ring camera is not recording your fingerprint every time you get out of your house.

Now you just made me wonder when Ring will include a fingerprint scanner that uploads a print & checks someone's background every time they ring your doorbell.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com