BoingBoing has the story of a car dealership that refused to sell a car without first taking the buyer's thumbprint. The story also links to a Consumerist post about banks with the same policy. One of the banks apparently cited the Patriot Act for its requirement of demanding a customer's thumbprint before cashing a check.
Is this a new privacy problem in the making?
I'm pretty sure California law requires a fingerprint on an auto sale as an anti-identity theft measure. Consumers advocates in CA did not support this--I can't remember who was behind it.
Posted by: Chris Hoofnagle | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 09:31 AM
Whose thumb print did you use for this psot. Hope he/she doesn't mind having it on the internet!!!
Posted by: Mahlon | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 09:01 AM
Of course it's a privacy problem. We already get data-raped for everything we're worth. If they collect thumbprints, DNA, etc, what's to stop them from sharing it or keeping it forever? How will you keep it out of governement databases? What if you get a Starbucks Coffee in the morning and there's a murder there that night? Your thumbprint is in the place so they come and question you?
It's your right to be anonymous unless you are strongly suspected (with evidence) of being a criminal or have been proven a criminal. In all other cases, you still have rights (or you're supposed to anyway).
Posted by: Jeremy | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 07:01 AM
Banks have been asking for thumbprints to cash checks for at least a decade.
If this is a privacy problem, it's an old one.
Posted by: Elliott | Monday, March 19, 2007 at 05:57 PM