Mexico to fingerprint cellphone users to fight crime

Not sure if you folks have heard, but apparently there are some serious gang-related issues in Mexico. Crazy, right? Just about two years after the Mexican government began swapping game consoles and computers for weaponry in a bizarre (and evidently futile) effort to curb crime, the country has now decided to take things one step further. Beginning in April, a law will require mobile phone companies to build up a fingerprint database of their clients, with the idea being to "match calls and messages to the phones' owners." Reportedly, there are around 700 criminal bands in Mexico, many of which utilize prepaid handsets in order to take care of business. Oh, and if you just so happen to lose your phone or loan it out, you've got to "report it immediately to avoid being held responsible for a handset used in a crime." Awesome.

[Image courtesy of BusinessWeek]

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 11th 2009 4:11PM]

You people should cover the Mexican cell phone market more often. They were the 1st people in North America to get the Nokia N95, NOT CANADA!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 11th 2009 5:03PM]

....and that matters.... why?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 11th 2009 5:07PM]

Lol i was thinking the Exact same thing.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 11th 2009 5:08PM]

big brother anyone?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 11th 2009 5:57PM]

Now, not only will the abductions of people, drug related murders, and vigilante hangings increase, so will the theft of cell phones! Viva la world of poo!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 11th 2009 6:04PM]

shut up stupid yankee :)

[soydeedo Posted Feb 11th 2009 8:03PM]

Oh, and if you just so happen to lose your phone or loan it out, you've got to "report it immediately to avoid being held responsible for a handset used in a crime." Awesome.

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And you do this without your phone, how exactly?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 11th 2009 8:45PM]

Yup, this is why Mexico is a world leader. They could clean up corruption, fix their broken infrastructure, or any of a million things that would actually improve things, but nope, instead they're finger printing cellphone users. Great job guys!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2009 11:58PM]

...and it begins (again)