No More Smiling

Security is something most law enforcement agencies take very seriously these days and so it's no surprise that every so often we citizens are asked to do something or make some alteration in our routine that will help promote safety and allow law enforcement agencies better execute their jobs. I can think of the random bag searches that were done on subways around the country after reports of potential terrorist attacks or the ongoing drill of removing shoes, jackets, belts, hats, wallets, metal objects and so on from our persons when going through security at the airports. Most of these things we understand and accept but I think this latest changes being put forward in at least four states for now will be one that confuses the average citizen and it has to do with smiling.

For many of us, getting our driver's license was reason enough to smile as it was a sign of freedom. The call of the open road and endless travel began with the issuance of that laminated little card which indicated that you were legally allowed to operate a motor vehicle. Not everyone linked it with such lofty ideals; indeed some people think of it more of a convenience rather than a necessity but suffice it to say that it is something most adults in this country get at some point in their lives. That being said it's understandable that many (especially the younger folks out there) would want to smile for this most historic of photos. But those days may soon end nationwide if tests being conducted in four states prove to be successful.

The only part of this test is altering the way our photos on our licenses look and that is by telling drivers not to smile. It seems that the latest facial recognition software being put to use by law enforcement agencies can determine if a person is attempting to use a false identity to get a photo in another state under another name based on the fact that their face matches the records in another state. Without smiling it is possible for the software to more easily pickup the similarities that could lead to proof that someone is attempting to get licensed under false pretenses. Now I'm sure many of us have seen 'facial recognition' at work in the movies but it is a true capability; but what confuses me is why we would need to stop smiling for this to work.

If you've ever seen the licenses or false identification papers of criminals, terrorists or what-have-you, they all appear to have been taken from mugshots. Many times on the news those are the best photos the news agencies will get of a criminal they are talking about and so they'll use it. In none of those pictures will you ever see them (at least I have never seen one) where the criminal is smiling as if he's just won the lottery. Now I will admit that I don't know all that much about facial recognition technology but I do know enough to say that there are certain characteristics that are unique to each and every face that make one different from the other; this is true even of twins so far as I know.

So then my question again becomes what purpose does it serve to get people to stop smiling. I know that in Virginia for example you don't even have to go to the DMV to get your license renewed. Unless your address has changed, there is no need to go to the DMV to get your license changed and so if you got your license years before this new rule was put in place (incidentally Virginia is one of the states where 'no-smile' is becoming a rule) then who's to say that you'll ever have to get rid of that picture where you're cheesing so hard it hurts? I don't believe that it will make tracking criminals or would-be criminals any easier. Perhaps it will help some but I don't think it will be the deterrent that many are making it out to be. Perhaps it will be and I'm just being naive but I guess I'll truly believe it when I see it.