Sydney Airport tests passport-free biometric check-in
Qantas passengers who travel through Sydney Airport will be among the first groups of travelers to use facial recognition in automated check-ins, bag drop, lounge access and plane boarding. The system will ultimately allow officials to process travelers quicker. Early trials which provide a glimpse into a seamless, passport-free future are currently underway, but their implementation is provoking mixed responses.
Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert is optimistic: "There will be no more juggling passports and bags at check-in and digging through pockets or smartphones to show your boarding pass -- your face will be your passport and your boarding pass at every step of the process". The biometrics system has also been endorsed by the Australian federal government, which promised to pump $22.5 million AUD ($16.6 million) to ensure facial recognition technology would be adopted across all Australian airports. Canberra is at the forefront of the nationwide 'SmartGate' rollout which is expected to reach completion by March 2019.
Most people wouldn't bat an eyelash if you uttered 'biometrics' and 'smartphone unlocking' in the same breath, but security experts warn the airport trials will be tracked by government departments who could apply the same technology in public spaces. "(Biometrics) can produce real harm", Dr. Bruce Baer Arnold said in a statement to The Australian Financial Review. Data transparency has become an increasingly big deal post-GDPR, and it's in this domain where potential issues lie. While most citizens are embracing the system, experts believe the country will eventually reach "a tipping point" where overwhelming amounts of personal data could be stored and used without alerting citizens.
In the US, similar facial recognition techniques which would replace conventional identification are being considered. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is already planning to launch its Vehicle Face System -- an initiative that identifies people who enter and exit the US border -- this August.
courtesy : engadget.com
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Kerala FM allays fears over Malayalam Language Bill amid objections from Karnataka
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Friday sought to allay concerns over the proposed Malayalam Language Bill 2025, stating that the legislation would not lead to discrimination against any section of society.
Addressing a press conference, Balagopal said, according to Asianet News, “I can assure you of one thing: there will be no discrimination against anyone in the state,” amid criticism from neighbouring Karnataka over the bill’s provisions.
The proposed bill has sparked debate over making Malayalam the first compulsory language across Kerala. Earlier, speaking to the media in Bidar on Friday regarding the issue, Minister Priyank Kharge said language promotion should not turn into enforcement.
“When states were formed, bifurcation was done on the basis of language. In Kasargod, more than 90% of the people speak Kannada. There is nothing wrong with promoting a language, but it should not be enforced,” ANN quoted him as saying.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, expressing serious concern over the proposed bill. In his letter, Siddaramaiah warned that making Malayalam compulsory even in Kannada-medium schools could adversely affect minority-run institutions and place additional pressure on students in border regions.
Highlighting India’s linguistic and cultural diversity, Siddaramaiah reportedly said that regions such as Kasargod have historically thrived on linguistic harmony, with Malayalam, Kannada, Tulu, and Beary shaping everyday life.
While reiterating Karnataka’s pride in the Kannada language, he stressed that language promotion must never turn into imposition.
Calling for a review, he urged the Kerala government to reconsider the bill and hold wider consultations with linguistic minorities, educators, and neighbouring states. He maintained that Karnataka would oppose the bill, if passed, using every constitutional means to defend minority rights and uphold the plural spirit of the Constitution.
