Next Generation Identification - The FBI's new facial-recognition system

"To ensure that those who care for our most vulnerable, those charged with protecting our nation and its citizens, can be trusted."  -Lockheed Martin

As stated above by the creators of this controversial piece of technology, it is to ensure security, not compromise it. Anyone who has ever submitted to a background check, did so because they were applying for some type of sensitive position, or working with someone or something that needed protection. Wouldn't it make sense to continue to watch these people, to ensure they remain trustworthy and responsible? Is one single background check enough? Enough of the cries of "Big Brother!", this tool will help law enforcement do their jobs. I'm sure there are some ways & tools you could use to make your job easier aren't there? Maybe some you haven't even thought about yet. This one is here now, so let's make the best of it, let's learn about it, let's use it for good. A few bad people may get their hands on it, but does that mean we should stop innovating as a society? Remember WikiLeaks? Should we deprive all of humanity any new technology and any chance of progressing, just because we have an irrational fear that somewhere, someday, someone might use it against us? We never would have left the stone age. Let's stop being paranoid, suspicious, and cynical.

"The NGI Program Office mission is to reduce terrorist and criminal activities by improving and expanding biometric identification and criminal history information services through research, evaluation, and implementation of advanced technology within the IAFIS environment." -FBI

• Project NGI has been in process since 2006 (The privacy threshold analysis was developed in 2006) 

Regardless of the EFF's claims (Electronic Frontier Foundation) of threats to privacy, the project has also been adhering to the Privacy Act. This is not just some amateur, rogue software someone developed in their basement without concern to others well-being. Let's also not forget that Facebook is using the same concept for no real philanthropic purpose at all.

• People with no criminal history could be impacted.

Let's define "Impacted" here....Impacted how? Their pictures are thrown into a pile of suspects just because they look like the actual criminal? Is that an impact? No, no impact there, their pictures are already in a database somewhere. That is a passive effect of this system. (I'm not saying they should be thrown into a pile of suspects, I'm saying you wouldn't know if that happened or not unless someone called you and told you.)
What if they're actually called into the police station and questioned about the crime based on their photo inclusion? Now we're talking. That's an impact. That would not be good, but there's no evidence of that happening. Where are the stories about computers wrongfully selecting a criminal and convicting them? I've heard of people convicting people, and witnesses lying or picking the wrong person, but haven't heard the one about a computer making the same mistake, though I'm open to studying it, after all, it's humans who build the computers and systems we're talking about.

• Snowden already gave us a heads-up this was happening.

Nobody seemed to care much or believe him, but as soon as the official announcement comes from the source, direct from the horse's mouth, everyone cries foul. Why? Why not spearhead an operation to counter-attack this, violent, unacceptable intrusion of our privacy?

Why don't we all simmer down and see how many criminals we can catch with this new system first.


Sources:

1. http://www.wptv.com/news/national/fbi-finishes-1b-facial-recognition-system
2. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/9/15/fbi-facial-recognition.html
3. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/6/1/nsa-facial-recognition.html
4. http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/fbis-facial-recognition-system-will-combine-faces-of-criminals-and-ordinary-citizens/story-fn5fsgyc-1227060756329
5. http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/ngi.html
6. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/fingerprints_biometrics/ngi