New Passports Will Have Electronic Chips(despite high rate of error warnin

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-briefs6.1aug06,1,7793289.story?coll=la-headlines-nation


New Passports Will Have Electronic Chips(despite high rate of error warnings)

The State Department plans to implant electronic identification chips in U.S. passports that will allow computer matching of facial characteristics, despite warnings that the technology is prone to a high rate of error.

Federal researchers, academics and industry experts say the government should instead use more-reliable fingerprints to help thwart potential terrorists.

The enhanced passports — to be issued next spring for people obtaining new or renewed passports — will be the first to include biometric information.

[prodigal_green]

1. Gawd, the fundamentalists

are going to go ape-shit (or Adam and Eve shit). It's the mark of the beast I tells ya!

[tlcandie]

2. Well, they can't have it BOTH ways... either

* is their messiah or he isn't.

[hunter]

3. What if I accidently fry the chip?

Do I become a terrorist?

[bobthedrummer]

4. Microwave your passport?

:shrug:

[prodigal_green]

6. will it come with electronic salsa? n/t

[psychopomp]

5. Story just yesterday

Brits going this route too; the headline was about a new rule against smiling in passport photos because the bared teeth foul-up the face-recognition technology.