NPA's Kim Capri supports ID-scanning software

Patrons of local bars sometimes get a bit uppity when the door staff want to scan their identification.

According to a motion going before Vancouver city council on Tuesday (April 1), the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner began investigating the use of ID-scanning software in bars in 2004.

NPA councillor Kim Capri's motion calls upon council to express its support for the ID-scanning software, and have Mayor Sam Sullivan write a letter to the privacy commissioner and to the solicitor general (no longer John Les) to support the continued use of this software.

The B.C. Civil Liberties Association filed a complaint in 2006 questioning whether or not ID-scanning software violates the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

Last July, the Georgia Straight published a story about this complaint, which concerned the use of this technology at the Wild Coyote nightclub.

Vancouver-based TreoScope Technologies designed the software that is used by members of Barwatch, a self-policing organization of Vancouver bar and nightclub owners.

Capri notes in her motion that Barwatch identified software that allows members to restrict access to "necessary personnel".

This software does not record addresses, and is stored in locked down stations, according to Capri's motion.

She mentioned in her motion that the Vancouver police department supports the use of this software.


See also: Big brother bar hops

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