No Smiles at Virginia DMV

The Washington Post has an interesting story up today regarding the implementation of facial recognition software by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. For the system to work, the DMV has banned people from smiling in their driver's license photos:

DMV officials say the smile ban is for a good cause. The agency would like to develop a facial recognition system that could compare customers' photographs over time to prevent fraud and identity theft. "The technology works best when the images are similar," said DMV spokeswoman Pam Goheen. "To prepare for the possibility of future security enhancements, we're asking customers to maintain a neutral expression."

Requiring licenses to look like mugshots is not the only inconvenience the technology will bring:

As for DMV patrons in Virginia, there is further cause for disappointment beyond the anti-smile rule. With the new system, state residents can no longer get their licenses and identification cards on the same day as their visits.

Instead, licenses and identification cards are now processed at a central facility in the southern Virginia city of Danville, then mailed to the customer's address a few days later. The new cards are loaded with security features, including tactile lettering, secondary photos and anti-tampering measures, and they will be phased in as state residents renew their licenses and ID cards, Goheen said.

Of course, if the new IDs can prevent fraud and limit identity theft, then the extra hassle will be well worth it. Just don't expect any Virginia residents to enjoy being carded, regardless of age.