FBI's Crime Database No Longer Needs To Be Accurate

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the throw-anyone-you-want-in! dept

Just as we were talking about the potential for the government to misuse a large database of information comes the news that the Justice Department has lifted the requirement that information put into the crime database be accurate. Basically, they’re letting the FBI throw in any old information, just in case it turns out to be important later. They used to be required to verify the accuracy of the information, but that’s just too much work these days. Of course, this database already has a history of misuse, with stories of people with access using it to find information about current or former significant others.