Privacy International
I would like to nominate Danish "Bornholmstrafikken" for the most stupid security measure ever taken in Denmark.
The full story as reported by the Danish newspaper Politiken can be found (in Danish) at:
http://politiken.dk/VisArtikel.iasp?PageID=255348
Briefly, commuters from the island of Bornholm (for a map see e.g. http://www.hp.dk/partner/grafik/danmarkskort.jpg ... Bornholm is the island all the way to the right) are as of 7 February required a fingerprint scan to board the boat to mainland Denmark.
When buying a 30-day card for the boat commuters will have their fingerprint scanned and stored in a memory chip on a personal card. On boarding commuters are then required to insert the card and place their finger on a scanner verify their identity. These measures are taken in order to make sure that the card is only used by one person.
In the rest of Denmark we use a picture ID system.
I find these biometric measures to identification quite worrying for something as simple as using public transportation.
... something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
Hi
I think the stupidest security measure I have come across recently has to be T-Mobile with its attitude to paying for top-ups by credit card.
After receiving a mobile as a present I topped it up by credit card. I attempted to do the same a week later and was informed that users could only use the credit card top-up method once till their identity had been verified. I pointed out that the phone was registered to me as was the credit card, but they had a better idea. I had to send two credit card bills along with the details of my phone (number, service provider etc) to T-Mobile. It occurred to me that if this package disappeared from the post it would be an ideal launching point for identity theft.
It seems strange that anyone would want to covertly top up my phone, but who knows........
The following letter was faxed to my physician in a futile attempt to get around prison dress codes in Michigan Correctional facilities. How a bra fits into state security I am at a total loss to explain. Men are not required to wear athletic supporters, why should a woman be required to wear a bra?
A tight fitting sweater that reveals every curve is permitted as long as the correct under garment is present. A loose fitting very concealing sweater or sweatshirt is not allowed if one doesn't have a bra under it.
Explain this one. It is one of the more stupid "security" requirements that is as intrusive as it gets.
DR. BRADFORD WOELKE From: Ishgooda Subject: ATTENTION DOCTOR WOELKE
This is Linda L.
This is probably going to be one of the more bizarre requests you will receive. My apologies in advance. This requirement appears equally outlandish to me.
If you check back through my records you will read on occasion I have had difficulty with upper back/shoulder muscle spasms and you treated me with trigger point injections of a cortisone compound. I have learned since that by not putting pressure on this area, I don't end up with spasms. Seems simple, except the way pressure was eliminated was by eliminating the wearing of a bra and substituting a tank top instead. No pressure on my shoulders or rib cage and I am a happy camper.
Until Saturday. My mother and I went to visit my son in a new prison facility in Carson City. I was denied visitation because I was wearing a tank top under my clothing rather than the pre-requisite bra. I am told women must wear bras for security reasons. Not sure whom this is supposed to protect. I sat outdoors for 45 minutes unable to visit as a result. I was informed by the shift commander that I require a doctor's slip stating there is a medical reason for not wearing one which can then be added to my visitor information. Mind you, I have been visiting since 1995 sans this garment without problem in other facilities in Michigan. It appears the problem is one of arbitrary and capricious enforcement of visitor dress code as they failed even to follow their printed protocol by issuing a smock for a first time visitor to the facility (he was moved there one week ago) and denied the visit..sports bras are not an option as some shifts and commanders won't permit these either. It is a 6 hour plus round trip drive between my current location in Riverview and Carson City (NW of Lansing). Needless to say it was upsetting.
If possible..could you send a medical slip stating their is a medical reason for not wearing one to me at:
France: the stupid CCTV clause
The Prefet (State representative) of the French province PyrŽnŽes-Atlantiques - south-west, pat of the Basque country - signed a decree on December 4, 2001, to change the open/close regulations aimed at night-clubs and discos.
For "every place equipped with CCTV the closing time until 6 am", while other places with no CCTV systems "will have their authorisation renewed on the basis of a closing time at 5 am".
I rolled up at the local British Sub Aqua Club and sat through a couple of lectures, (very interesting they were too). During which the guy in charge mentioned some membership forms to fill in but seemed strangely reluctant to hand them out until the last moment, I found out why.
It turns out that as well as wanting all the usual like name, address, Phone number etc they wanted to do a full security check and to give some unspecified person at the club full permission at any time to access any and all police records that might be kept about me.
I of course wanted to know why and he said it was a new rule brought in by the BSAC after the paedophile hysteria some time ago.
I said that I could understand if I wanted to join the staff and instruct but all I want to do is learn to skin dive, nope he said, EVERYONE has to sign the form giving up all the basic rights to privacy.
I've nothing to hide but I'm damned if I'm going to be treated like some suspected perv just to join a sports club, so I told him to shove it (politely) and buggered off to the Caribbean and learned there.
There was also a little gem in small print on the medical form, It seems that I had to give another unspecified person at the BSAC full permission for access to ALL my medical records at ANY time for ANY reason, doesn't even have to be a doctor.