One of the biggest debates across the Unites States is whether we are safer today than we were on 9/11.
One part of that debate is whether we are trading liberty for the promise of more security. In other words, is a reduction in liberty – due to an expanding police state – worthwhile as long as we are safer and more secure?
No matter how you answer that question, the reality is that we do have an expanding police state. I suspect everyone agrees that is true.
Case in point: Yesterday, the FBI announced that their Next Generation Identification System (NGI) is now fully operational.
You can read about the system in the FBI’s press release, “FBI Announces Full Operational Capability of the Next Generation Identification System.” solarsphereonline.com/iem...M=53474&N=21437&L=553&F=H
Here’s the part I think you will find interesting because it describes the use of facial recognition technology.
“As part of NGI’s full operational capability, the NGI team is introducing two new services: Rap Back and the Interstate Photo System (IPS)… The IPS facial recognition service will provide the nation’s law enforcement community with an investigative tool that provides an image-searching capability of photographs associated with criminal identities. This effort is a significant step forward for the criminal justice community in utilizing biometrics as an investigative enabler.” (emphasis added)
The addition of facial recognition services by the FBI won’t come as a surprise to many folks. But, without a doubt, it is one more step on the road toward a government that will be able to instantly identify anyone and everyone - no matter what they are doing or where they are located.
You’ll have to decide whether that increasing loss of privacy and liberty is worth the promise of more security.
Email me with your thoughts. Rob@SelfRely.com
Be safe, secure and free,
Rob Douglas