Because nothing says “freedom” like a mandatory facial registration… I mean, voluntary
In a twist that no one saw coming (a lie, we all saw it), President Claudia Sheinbaum came out to clarify that the biometric CURP is as mandatory as exercising on New Year’s. I mean, technically not, but they’ll make you feel guilty if you don’t. The excuse? “In case one day you disappear, darling”. How comforting.
From her throne in the National Palace (well, her morning conference), the president dropped this pearl: “Evidently no one can be forced… but they should”. Ah, the classic tactic of “it’s not mandatory, but anyone who doesn’t do it is socially irresponsible.” Does it sound familiar to you? Like when your mom said “eat broccoli… but of course, you decide.”
And in case you doubted: banks already do it
Given the logical fear that the government has your biometric data (what could go wrong), Sheinbaum put forward the definitive argument: “But even your banking app asks you for a selfie!”. Because clearly, the fact that companies do it for profit justifies the State replicating it. Next step? Let pharmacies sell our DNA data because Ancestry.com does it?
The icing on the cake was its security promise: “It will not be used for other purposes… unless you are a victim”. In other words, your data will be safer than a politician’s cell phone, until someone decides not to. And who defines what constitutes a “valid case”? Well, that was as clear as the system source code.
Of course, the timing is impeccable: just when distrust towards institutions is through the roof, they ask us to hand over our fingerprints as if they were points on the supermarket card. “It’s for your own good”, they say, while the history of data leaks in the public sector is conspicuous by its absence… or rather, by its excessive presence.
And you, will you run to register your iris in October? Or, as Sheinbaum herself would say: “Of course we don’t force you… but if you disappear, don’t say we didn’t let you know.”.
Did you like this gem of government irony? Share it on your networks and continue discovering how they sell us privacy as a currency. #SurprisesThatAreNot
