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Interesting opinion piece by a former EFF attorney who now has a boutique law practice for privacy rights. Basically, the courts can't compel you to reveal information that you know that could incriminate you, such as the combination to a safe or the crypto key to computer files, though that one gets tossed back and forth a lot. But they can demand a key to a lock box because it is a physical artifact that is not something that you know, it's something that you possess. They can demand DNA swabs and fingerprints, and could conceivably demand your fingerprint to unlock your phone.
Thus, the argument that fingerprint scanners can undermine the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.
http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/09/the-unexpected-result-of-fingerprint-authentication-that-you-cant-take-the-fifth/
Another article on Wired talks about fingerprint scanners meaning the end to PINs for ATMs and such. I don't buy it, there are too many variables for common use of fingerprint scanners. They can work for certain applications, my former police department now uses fingerprint scanners for all of their computer department's PCs and I have a teacher friend who uses it for his Lenovo laptop to keep his students from mucking with it. But they're far from perfect, and if you work in a cold environment or do lots of work with your hands where you get cut up a lot, they can be unreliable.
I'm sure Apple has a alphanumeric entry code to bypass the fingerprint scanner, but it seems to me that if used in conjunction with the scanner for regular use, you're really setting up a usability nightmare.
http://www.wired.com/business/2013/09/iphone-fingerprint-ends-pin/
Mythbusters did a great show on defeating home security devices, including a lock with a fingerprint scanner. They got right past it, one of the techniques they used was to dust the print, scan it at 3-400%, color in the lines with a Sharpie, then reduce it back to 100% and the scanner totally accepted it.
Thus, the argument that fingerprint scanners can undermine the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.
http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/09/the-unexpected-result-of-fingerprint-authentication-that-you-cant-take-the-fifth/
Another article on Wired talks about fingerprint scanners meaning the end to PINs for ATMs and such. I don't buy it, there are too many variables for common use of fingerprint scanners. They can work for certain applications, my former police department now uses fingerprint scanners for all of their computer department's PCs and I have a teacher friend who uses it for his Lenovo laptop to keep his students from mucking with it. But they're far from perfect, and if you work in a cold environment or do lots of work with your hands where you get cut up a lot, they can be unreliable.
I'm sure Apple has a alphanumeric entry code to bypass the fingerprint scanner, but it seems to me that if used in conjunction with the scanner for regular use, you're really setting up a usability nightmare.
http://www.wired.com/business/2013/09/iphone-fingerprint-ends-pin/
Mythbusters did a great show on defeating home security devices, including a lock with a fingerprint scanner. They got right past it, one of the techniques they used was to dust the print, scan it at 3-400%, color in the lines with a Sharpie, then reduce it back to 100% and the scanner totally accepted it.
