The EU is about to sell our most sensitive data to the US for visa-free travel

Post by dpark » Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 12:19 AM UTC

axus wrote: post #290

whimsicalism wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A national ID system (standard in effectively all European countries) is table stakes for state capacity. I find the RealID opposition baffling.

In the US, we like to reduce state capacity. Helps limit the damage bad actors can do when they are in power.

Post by villish » Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC

shiandow wrote: post #291

villish wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and yet you use american sites and services like this one, where you freely give even more personal data than fingerprints like your interests, thoughts, and more! I see comments like this all over hackernews but the truth is you actually don't care. You have a choice to not use HN/Reddit/YouTube/whatever but here you are.

The value was always in the connection not any individual datum. Besides, I choose what information I link to this identity do I not? You're welcome to my views and their connection to each other. Doesn't mean I want you to know everything else.

Post by HDBaseT » Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 1:01 AM UTC

maratc wrote: post #12

The point missing in the article is that, in order to enter the US, one needs to give the US Govt their photo and fingerprints ("biometric data") anyway. There are two options: visa-free with the biometric data passing on the wire (no hassle), or visa (a major hassle) and biometric data passing in the airport (a minor one). As a side note, the EU also collects photo and fingerprints from visitors now. Whereas in the…

Post by cco » Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 1:34 AM UTC

beej71 wrote: post #128

maratc wrote: post #12

The point missing in the article is that, in order to enter the US, one needs to give the US Govt their photo and fingerprints ("biometric data") anyway. There are two options: visa-free with the biometric data passing on the wire (no hassle), or visa (a major hassle) and biometric data passing in the airport (a minor one). As a side note, the EU also collects photo and fingerprints from visitors now. Whereas in the…

This all reminds me about how RealID was vital to secure us from terrorism, and it took 20 years to get it in place... with no significant terrorist actions in that timeframe. IMHO this level of tracking ain't worth the safety gained. Seems like safety gain is just the excuse at this point.

Post by pluc » Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 1:42 AM UTC

petcat wrote: post #279

pluc wrote: post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you think is stopping the US? It could be privacy but I don't think that would hold up in the public court as the US is way worse than EU when it comes to privacy regulations... what else? Control? And we're not talking about "border security" in its entirety, just the screening/identifying part.

From USA's perspective, Interpol is a tool. The same as the rest of Europe's agency and governance concoctions (ICC). It is not any kind of authority or even a reliable mechanism to do what it wants.