Homeland Security : Fingerprints Are Not "Personal Data"

Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff no longer cares for the growing concerns Americans hold for their privacy, and the confidentiality of their personal, biometric data. Why would he? Chertoff believes that your is not your private property because "you leave it on glasses...all over the world":

QUESTION: Some are raising that the privacy aspects of this thing, you know, sharing of that kind of data, very personal data, among four countries is quite a scary thing.

SECRETARY CHERTOFF: Well, first of all, a fingerprint is hardly personal data because you leave it on glasses and silverware and articles all over the world, they’re like footprints. They’re not particularly private.

Which will surprise the Department of Homeland Security, which Chertoff runs :

In its definition of “personally identifiable information” — the information that triggers a Privacy Impact Assessment when used by government — the Department specifically lists: “biometric identifiers (e.g., fingerprints).”

Chertoff will ensure that fingerprints fall into the domain of government and corporate data-miners. Your DNA is next.

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