Bruce Schneier on Big Brother security flaws:
Rarely do we discuss how little identification has to do with security, and how broad surveillance of everyone doesn't really prevent terrorism.
This is something that has always rubbed me the wrong way. Even before Sept. 11, airlines used to demand photo Id's, falsely claiming that it was a security measure mandated by the FAA. However, those ID's were never checked against anything - they only verified that your ID matched the name on your ticket. (A classmate of Dineen's had once booked a ticket under his nickname - and got denied boarding to a flight because that wasn't the name on his ID - even though he had a VERY uncommon last name.)
ID checking is still relatively useless today. Although airlines now check the names against a central database, that doesn't help much for potential threats who have common names - even if they're not what some regard as "American" names. But even those with such wholesome sounding, but common, names like "David Nelson" can find themselves stopped - or worse - in the airport.
In some areas, the ID checking seems to be merely a ruse. I routinely travel to the federal courthouse here in Virginia. Shortly after the Johnny Walker Lindh hearings began, the marshals began checking ID's. Just last week, I asked one to pass a note to a client of mine who was running late.
"Oh, we don't look at the names," he said. "We just check to make sure the ID is valid."
Don't look at the names? Then what possible function can the ID serve? All that confirms is that some government somewhere (maybe not even that - they just ask for "photo" ID) was convinced the presenter should be issued an ID for whatever purpose. The name on the ID could be "Al Q. Terrorist" and the U.S. Marshals would be none the wiser - because they apparently don't even LOOK at the name - let alone check it against anything that might suggest someone might be a threat.
When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere. - Lazarus Long
Our current ID mania seems to be just a way of keeping all us sheeple in line - anesthetizing us to the routine demand for ID, no matter how flimsy the reason, so that we may be better tracked, scrutinized, and captured should the need arise. Those pushing the pro-ID agenda are, in the long run, making us all less, not more, secure.
Posted by wasylik at February 6, 2004 10:57 AM | TrackBack