Your Fingerprints Please
I had written earlier about the introduction of a fingerprint based entry system at my gym (http://voiceandview.blogspot.com/2006/12/cardless-entry-as-i-entered-gym-and.html). Little did I know that a substantial number of schools are using similar systems for children to access their meals at the school cafeteria. The arguments for it include: It's easier to lose a card than a finger(http://www.cnn.com/video/partners/clickability/index.html?url=/video/tech/2006/12/22/sieberg.biometric.lunch.cnn). The video does not mention any negatives. Here is an article (http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showstory.cfm?ArticleID=2320) from 2001 that lists some concerns but makes it sound like people who are concerned are paranoid and looking at Orwellian scenarios. It was funny that the implementers of these systems go as far as to call a fingerprint a finger image to avoid the negative connotation.
However, once the information is out there you do not know how it's going to be used. Here is the latest example (http://www.cnn.com/video/partners/clickability/index.html?url=/video/sports/2006/12/27/roberts.spanier.steroid.ruling.cnn). MLB players were asked to take tests under the condition that they will remain private. Now the government is using this data and the courts have blessed the use.