According to this report from the Toronto Star, the Ontario government is considering (and has been for a long time) collecting fingerprints or retinal scans for their new “smart” cards. I’m absolutely certain this is not a good idea. For what it’s worth, George Radwanski, the Canadian government’s privacy commissioner, apparently doesn’t like them either:
“These people are increasingly horrifying me. Disturbing doesn’t begin to cover the mindset that would think these things are desirable or necessary.”
The cards are apparently the new ID cards for the Ontario government medical system — which already uses photo ID cards — so this shouldn’t have surprised me. Nonetheless, it’s definitely still unsettling.
“Ontario is looking at use of a ‘unique identifier’ such as prints or eye scans to strengthen privacy and prevent fraudulent use of the new cards, part of a new electronic identity system to be introduced over the next few years.”
(If this is Common Sense, then I’m the President of Canada.)
This Is Slightly Disturbing
According to this report from the Toronto Star, the Ontario government is considering (and has been for a long time) collecting fingerprints or retinal scans for their new “smart” cards. I’m absolutely certain this is not a good idea. For what it’s worth, George Radwanski, the Canadian government’s privacy commissioner, apparently doesn’t like them either:
The cards are apparently the new ID cards for the Ontario government medical system — which already uses photo ID cards — so this shouldn’t have surprised me. Nonetheless, it’s definitely still unsettling.
(If this is Common Sense, then I’m the President of Canada.)
Hat tip to Moreover
This entry was written by the proprietor, posted on 9 January 2001 at 4:08 am.
Filed under Commentary Unbound and tagged ontario, politics, privacy.
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