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Visa waiver travellers to be fingerprinted…
NEWS
Copyright Notice This newsletter and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Rights & Permissions Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK; tel: +44 (0)1865 843830, fax: +44 (0)1865 853333, e-mail: [email protected]. You may also contact Rights & Permissions directly through Elsevier’s home page (http://www.elsevier.com), selecting first ‘Customer Support’, then ‘General Information’, then ‘Permissions Query Form’. In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; tel: 978 7508400, fax: +1 978 7504744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; tel: +44 (0) 207 436 5931; fax: +44 (0) 207 436 3986. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage Permission of the publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including any article or part of an article. Contact the publisher at the address indicated. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Rights & Permissions Department, at the mail, fax and e-mail addresses noted above. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer.
02265 Printed by Mayfield Press (Oxford) Ltd.
2
immigration
Visa waiver travellers to be fingerprinted… In a move that has sparked controversy and concern from many quarters, millions of travellers entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme will have their fingerprints enrolled in the US-VISIT entry-exit system upon arrival in the USA. The US Department of Homeland Security and Department of State announced the plans, which will take effect from 30 September 2004. They coincide with a request to Congress to pass legislation that would extend for two years, the 26 October 2004 deadline for visa waiver programme (VWP) countries to have machine readable passports which include biometric identifiers. A deadline extension has also been requested for rolling out of readers for these biometric passports at all ports of entry. According to Asa Hutchinson, under secretary of Border and Transportation Security, DHS: “Since most countries are unable to meet the original October 2004 date to include biometrics in passports due to several technology-related reasons we have asked Congress for a two year extension of that requirement. Also, by September 30, visitors travelling under the Visa Waiver Program who arrive at airports and seaports will be enrolled in US-VISIT.” To the dismay of privacy groups and travel industry advocates, among others, the move will affect an estimated 13 million visitors, who travel from visa waiver countries to the USA each year. Canadian citizens, most of whom do not need visas, will not be fingerprinted or photographed. Hutchinson continued: “We are encouraged by the progress that has been made by VWP countries to introduce biometrics into their passport programme and we will work with them to meet the mandated deadlines. Since its inception on January 5, 2004, it’s clear that USVISIT is working. It’s clean, it’s quick, it’s simple and without question, it is enhancing the integrity of our immigration systems, while protecting individual privacy.” Latest statistics show that since its launch in January, the US-VISIT programme has helped DHS and DOS officials intercept more than 200 persons with prior or suspected criminal or immigration violations – these included convicted rapists, drug traffickers, individuals convicted of credit card fraud, a convicted armed robber and numerous immigration violators and individuals attempting visa fraud.
Contact: The US Department of Homeland Security, www.dhs.gov/us-visit
…as privacy groups join forces Amid the latest plans announced to fingerprint millions more people entering the USA, human rights and civil liberty groups from all corners of the world have expressed their concerns surrounding the use of biometrics in passports. An open letter was sent by 39 groups to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) objecting in particular to its plans to require passports and other travel documents to contain biometrics and remotely readable contactless chips. The letter said: “We are increasingly concerned that the biometric travel document initiative is part and parcel of a larger surveillance infrastructure monitoring the movement of individuals globally that includes PassengerName Record transfers, API systems, and the creation of an intergovernmental network of interoperable electronic data systems to facilitate access to each country’s law enforcement and intelligence information.” The privacy groups acknowledged that ICAO’s prime motive for the move was to increase confidence in travel documents, reduce fraud, combat terrorism and protect aviation security, but they argued that the implementation of biometrics will have disproportionate effects on privacy and civil liberties. The document covered many different bases, but the use of facial recognition came in for particular criticism. The accuracy of the technology and the reliability of the technology to verify the identity of subjects over time were questioned. Meanwhile the letter pointed out that facial recognition technologies may reveal racial or ethnic origin. The privacy groups said: “Unless the ICAO is willing to propose only solutions that preserve privacy and human right through its specification requirements for technological design and review alternative technologies, then we call on the ICAO to abandon its intent to adopt biometrics as a standard.”
fingerprint
US pharmacy prescribes fingerprint recognition The giant US pharmacy chain Rite Aid has implemented a wide-ranging fingerprint
Biometric Technology Today • May 2004
Copyright Notice This newsletter and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Rights & Permissions Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK; tel: +44 (0)1865 843830, fax: +44 (0)1865 853333, e-mail: [email protected]. You may also contact Rights & Permissions directly through Elsevier’s home page (http://www.elsevier.com), selecting first ‘Customer Support’, then ‘General Information’, then ‘Permissions Query Form’. In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; tel: 978 7508400, fax: +1 978 7504744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; tel: +44 (0) 207 436 5931; fax: +44 (0) 207 436 3986. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage Permission of the publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including any article or part of an article. Contact the publisher at the address indicated. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Rights & Permissions Department, at the mail, fax and e-mail addresses noted above. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer.
02265 Printed by Mayfield Press (Oxford) Ltd.
2
immigration
Visa waiver travellers to be fingerprinted… In a move that has sparked controversy and concern from many quarters, millions of travellers entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme will have their fingerprints enrolled in the US-VISIT entry-exit system upon arrival in the USA. The US Department of Homeland Security and Department of State announced the plans, which will take effect from 30 September 2004. They coincide with a request to Congress to pass legislation that would extend for two years, the 26 October 2004 deadline for visa waiver programme (VWP) countries to have machine readable passports which include biometric identifiers. A deadline extension has also been requested for rolling out of readers for these biometric passports at all ports of entry. According to Asa Hutchinson, under secretary of Border and Transportation Security, DHS: “Since most countries are unable to meet the original October 2004 date to include biometrics in passports due to several technology-related reasons we have asked Congress for a two year extension of that requirement. Also, by September 30, visitors travelling under the Visa Waiver Program who arrive at airports and seaports will be enrolled in US-VISIT.” To the dismay of privacy groups and travel industry advocates, among others, the move will affect an estimated 13 million visitors, who travel from visa waiver countries to the USA each year. Canadian citizens, most of whom do not need visas, will not be fingerprinted or photographed. Hutchinson continued: “We are encouraged by the progress that has been made by VWP countries to introduce biometrics into their passport programme and we will work with them to meet the mandated deadlines. Since its inception on January 5, 2004, it’s clear that USVISIT is working. It’s clean, it’s quick, it’s simple and without question, it is enhancing the integrity of our immigration systems, while protecting individual privacy.” Latest statistics show that since its launch in January, the US-VISIT programme has helped DHS and DOS officials intercept more than 200 persons with prior or suspected criminal or immigration violations – these included convicted rapists, drug traffickers, individuals convicted of credit card fraud, a convicted armed robber and numerous immigration violators and individuals attempting visa fraud.
Contact: The US Department of Homeland Security, www.dhs.gov/us-visit
…as privacy groups join forces Amid the latest plans announced to fingerprint millions more people entering the USA, human rights and civil liberty groups from all corners of the world have expressed their concerns surrounding the use of biometrics in passports. An open letter was sent by 39 groups to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) objecting in particular to its plans to require passports and other travel documents to contain biometrics and remotely readable contactless chips. The letter said: “We are increasingly concerned that the biometric travel document initiative is part and parcel of a larger surveillance infrastructure monitoring the movement of individuals globally that includes PassengerName Record transfers, API systems, and the creation of an intergovernmental network of interoperable electronic data systems to facilitate access to each country’s law enforcement and intelligence information.” The privacy groups acknowledged that ICAO’s prime motive for the move was to increase confidence in travel documents, reduce fraud, combat terrorism and protect aviation security, but they argued that the implementation of biometrics will have disproportionate effects on privacy and civil liberties. The document covered many different bases, but the use of facial recognition came in for particular criticism. The accuracy of the technology and the reliability of the technology to verify the identity of subjects over time were questioned. Meanwhile the letter pointed out that facial recognition technologies may reveal racial or ethnic origin. The privacy groups said: “Unless the ICAO is willing to propose only solutions that preserve privacy and human right through its specification requirements for technological design and review alternative technologies, then we call on the ICAO to abandon its intent to adopt biometrics as a standard.”
fingerprint
US pharmacy prescribes fingerprint recognition The giant US pharmacy chain Rite Aid has implemented a wide-ranging fingerprint
Biometric Technology Today • May 2004