Fingerprint system for Mumbai cyber cafes?

Ceres · #1 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 04:47 PM

We have already seen a number of controversial security proposals.

The latest proposal is to make it compulsory for Mumbai cyber cafes to take fingerprints of customers:

Quote:

Mumbai police recently chalked out a plan to make fingerprint scanners mandatory at internet cafes further increasing its control over cyber cafe’s. The talks have already started between cafe owners and police to discuss nitty-gritty of the proposed plan. This certainly seems to have irked cafe owners as they are already reeling under current stringent rules regarding recording of user information and this would only make things tough for them.

I understand there's a need to implement security measures, but all this seems very OTT to me. Customers already show photo ID and his/her address is noted down. I'd feel like some kind of criminal if my fingerprints were also taken each time I went to a cyber cafe.

If this proposal is implemented, I wouldn' be surprised if less people end up using cyber cafes. What do you think of this proposal by the Mumbai police? Would you care if your fingerprints were taken at cyber cafes?

pubdomains.in · #2 (**permalink**) 07-01-2009, 08:54 AM

It's not going to deter those who are bent upon using internet for any illegal activity.

With datacards getting cheap, and prices for laptops going down - this would be another blow to business for cybercafe.

Ceres · #3 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pubdomains.in

With datacards getting cheap, and prices for laptops going down - this would be another blow to business for cybercafe.

Yes, so it's no surprise cybercafe owners are unhappy with the latest proposal! They probably realise all this as well.

Jeff · #4 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 03:02 AM

Fingerprinting is for criminals, not internet users. This is way OTT. I'd agree that this will hurt business dramatically.

Ceres · #5 (**permalink**) 11-19-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ceres

If this proposal is implemented, I wouldn' be surprised if less people end up using cyber cafes.

It seems that a lot of cyber cafes are now shutting shop as a result of such strict security measures. See story here to read what's happening with cyber cafes in Kanpur.

Another reason why some cyber cafes might be going out of business is that more people are now connected to the internet via their own computers, laptops and mobile phones.