By MassPrivateI

Editor’s Note: The stages of incrementalism seem to be speeding up. Nicholas West has written for Activist Post just this month about China’s high tech KFC called KPRO turning to facial recognition for payment, as well as a UK supermarket becoming the world’s first to use finger vein scans for its customers. The use of biometrics was, of course, first peddled as a necessary security measure, so we have seen it spread in that capacity from planes to trains and even for event security. Now the cashless agenda can more aggressively make its move for the full roll-out of biometric identification and payment into every facet of daily life.

The article below from MassPrivateI offers additional context for what is now leading to biometric payment systems at train stations.

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The TSA is winning the war on Americans minds as commuters are being tricked into giving away their rights without a fight.

The above video warns that facial recognition body scanners are coming to a train station near you…

Soon you might have to pass through one of these to get to your train or subway.

Last week, the TSA Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority ‘voluntarily’ asked commuters to walk through facial recognition body scanners before being allowed to board a train.

If you watched the video you might have noticed that the mass media (CBS) did not interview a single person who was concerned about their privacy. Instead, they quoted passengers who think body scanners are a good thing.

Nothing suspicious about that, right?

CBS warned that if the LA Metro installs body scanners next year, commuters won’t be able to opt-out. 

According to an article in the LA Times, the LA Metro has begun piloting biometric body scanners that send short-wave radio frequencies through commuters’ bodies to search for bombs and weapons.

A ‘pilot program’ is really a government euphemism for gauging the public’s response to another intrusive police search.

Updated 9/26:

Train stations to use facial recognition and palm vein scanners

UK commuters will be identified by using either a palm vein scanner or facial recognition.

The palm vein scanner uses an infrared sensor to capture the pattern of blood vessels in your hand. At the moment, Cubic envisages that a rider would go to a station to register their palm print and link it to their payment account. Then, when they put their hand on the scanner before a journey, the scanner will recognize their palm and charge their account. “The point being you could use your hand rather than your oyster card as a token to access the system,” Cubic strategy manager David Roat says.

[…]

The facial recognition system would work in a similar way to the palm vein scanner: You register your face as your ticket, then cameras and infrared sensors at the gate detect you when you pass through and charge your payment account. The use of infrared sensors means the system couldn’t be fooled by a 2D image.

(Source)

Bill Gates bankrolled high speed body scanners

According to an article in The Guardian, the start-up company Evolv Technology is pilot testing high-speed body scanners at the Los Angeles’s Union Station, Union Station in D.C., and the Denver international airport.

Evolv has taken a page right out of the TSA playbook citing safety concerns and fears of terror to justify their usage.

Evolv CEO Michael Ellonbogen said, “I think we need to change our entire take on physical security and knit it into the flow of our daily lives”.

“It’s an unfortunate trend, but physical security is morphing and the problem is worsening”, said Lux Capital’s Bilal.

(Source)

Corporations are using Americans fears of terror to make huge profits.

Evolv stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars if commuter train stations install their body scanners. A single scanner will cost taxpayers $60,000, while Bill Gates who helped fund Evolv Technology makes a nice profit.

Police use our fears of terror to justify losing of our rights

An LA Times article served as a mouthpiece to justify more government spying.

“While we’ll never become a fully secured environment like you’d have in the airport, we do want to find a way to more effectively screen passengers,” Metro security executive Alex Wiggins said. “We are trying to stay ahead of the threat.”

Mr. Wiggins isn’t done scaring the public just yet…

“Transportation is a very soft and attractive target,” said Wiggins,“Given the recent large-scale attacks at transit facilities in Europe, we need to see if there is technology that can screen large number of peoples and focus in on weapons and explosives.”

(Source)

Curiously, the LA Times devoted only one sentence to privacy concerns.

Three months ago, I warned everyone that California Transit Authorities have a history of using corporate surveillance technology to spy on commuters.

A class action lawsuit in California revealed that Transit Police are using a ‘Bart Watch’ app and Stingray surveillance to allegedly spy on commuters texts and emails.

Let’s make one thing perfectly clear: the war on terror is a for-profit business being led by private corporations and DHS. (The TSA is part of DHS.)

To learn more, I recommend checking out Gary Jacobucci’s article that asked if, ‘DHS is a private offshore corporation.‘ Here are two companies that appear to be fronts for DHS: Homeland Security Solutions and Homeland Security Corporation. (Click here & here to find out more.)

Body scanners use government watchlists 

Evolv uses ‘Known Wolves’, watchlist software that can identify people of interest or anyone on a government watchlist.

Stay on constant lookout for known wolves and other watchlist individuals using proven facial recognition and human IQ. Integrated video camera provides positive ID for alarm resolution. Send notifications and alerts to mobile team or operations center.

(Source)

Getting the public to accept facial recognition body scanners at airports and Disney World is only part of a much greater privacy nightmare.

Evolv’s facial recognition body scanners are being used at public area screenings, sporting events, and employee screenings.

Retail stores and conference centers are also using facial biometric cameras and scanners.

Imagine a future where the police use government watchlists, facial biometric scanners, Stingray cellphone surveillance, Bluetooth, and license plate readers to spy on our every movement.

This is our future unless we fight for our privacy rights.

You can read more from MassPrivateI at his blog HERE.