The Trump administration is building a national citizenship data system
text.npr.org

The Trump administration has, for the first time ever, built a searchable national citizenship data system.

The tool, which is being rolled out in phases, is designed to be used by state and local election officials to give them an easier way to ensure only citizens are voting. But it was developed rapidly without a public process, and some of those officials are already worrying about what else it could be used for.

NPR is the first news organization to report the details of the new system.

For decades, voting officials have noted that there was no national citizenship list to compare their state lists to, so to verify citizenship for their voters, they either needed to ask people to provide a birth certificate or a passport — something that could disenfranchise millions — or use a complex patchwork of disparate data sources.

  • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
    24·
    19 hours ago

    “illegitimately” is the key word there. I’m not interested in what you think happens if everything is working as intended, or your poor reading comprehension

    Oh the irony. Database and procedural logs are automatic and extensive, that’s why I mentioned them. No amount of “illegitimate” actions would sidestep them. Go back to school.

    • voracitude@lemmy.worldEnglish
      31·
      5 hours ago

      Logs, eh? You know those are just text files, right? And how do you plan to get access to them to prove any kind of mistake or malfeasance, exactly?

      • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
        11·
        3 hours ago

        Well no, they’re not just text files lol.

        You’re basically saying that everyone that can have anything to do with the database and systems around it are corrupt and working together. That’s a ridiculous conspiracy theory.

        • voracitude@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 hours ago

          You’re basically saying that everyone that can have anything to do with the database and systems around it are corrupt and working together.

          No, just the person in charge has to order it. People do what their bosses tell them. Rules and procedures don’t matter if the people in charge ignore them. And again, you’re not getting access to any of the data we’re talking about in the first place, because the government would have to grant that access, and you’re not a person as far as they’re concerned in this scenario. What organisations have you worked for that would just give out information to a person they can’t verify the identity of?

          That’s a ridiculous conspiracy theory.

          No, it’s happening now in the US. You seem woefully under-informed to be trying to comment on current affairs. Maybe stick to your own country until you’re up to speed.