Tracking Your Race and Your Politics

Jim Harper

Can a company have a Freudian slip? If it’s possible, L-1 Identity Solutions has commited one.

In a promotional brochure for REAL ID Act “solutions,” it implicitly touts the ability to track people by race and by political party. This is not required by the REAL ID Act, but it’s not barred by it either.

In my testimony to Congress and in a post here, I pointed out the concern that REAL ID could be used for racial tracking. Political party is a new one, but who knows what would happen should the system be implemented.

Excerpt of L1 REAL ID promotion

May 5, 2008 | Comments |

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Ryan Radia 7 months ago 1 point
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Truly remarkable. Between this and past comments by DHS officials, who needs us? This Orwellian image, political affiliation included, is a pretty compelling reason in and of itself to be against the REAL ID.

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peter 7 months ago 1 point
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At least they are sensitive enough not to list the person's weight! We would not want to offend anyone.

The two party system would love to have REAL ID list political preference and be required for voting. It would be done under the auspices of preventing fraud (looking forward to fingerprint authentication before you vote?), but would be used as a political tool to more efficiently track who is voting and from what party. Race, religion, and other demographics would help them to better target people with customized messages in the future.

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eee_eff 6 months ago 1 point
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It's interesting that libertarians see this as overstep by the government.

I would say that it is trespass by a corporation, as it is, aided by the government. The reason why the government is aiding these corporations is that we have so weakened the civic power structures that they don't stand up to the big corporations anymore.

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