-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- I'm watching a congressional hearing on C-SPAN about the "Computer Criminal Tracking System." Jim Martin of the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics is testifying, describing an FBI database under development. As an example of its intended use, he gave the following example: A hitchhiker could be stopped by police and required to submit fingerprints. These fingerprints could transmitted digitally to obtain instant identification and "criminal history" information about the hitchhiker. Criminal history information would include information from federal, state, and local authorities. Mr. Martin also observed that, while existing Justice Information databases are now used only for law-enforcement, firearms licensing, and "national security purposes," he envisions that the new database could be expanded in its uses to include "non-criminal justice" applications. Why should I have to provide fingerprint identification on demand to cops? What are the "national security" applications of existing databases? Imagine all the potential "non-criminal justice" applications for the new database. What happens when this database gets linked up to the "citizen tracking and employment eligibility" database under construction? Do we then have a de facto (cardless) national ID? I think so. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.9.i iAMtyPingInAfakeKeYBecaUSeSomePeoPleOnACErtaINMailiNGLIStarereQU IRinGtheUseoFDiGiTaLSiGNAturES.DoESTHIsMaKEaNYSenSEtoyOU?ItDoESN 'TTOMEsOIAMdoINgTHisInsTEAdblAHBLahbLAHbLahBlAHBlahBlahbLAHBlahb blAHBlahbLAh blAHb -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----