|
For information on the pressure placed on tattoo shops to divulge customer information, click here: here.
FBI Requires Licensed Tattoo Shops To Share All Customer Contact Information MSNBC correspondent Jason Crane sat down with government official Alan Shaffer to discuss the recent rumors that have been in circulation regarding the FBI requiring tattoo shops to provide the FBI with their customer’s contact information along with a description of the tattoo provided. Alan Shaffer who currently holds a position within the National Security Branch of the government agreed to complete transparency prior to the interview with MSNBC’s Jason Crane and did remain direct and seemingly forthright throughout his conversation with Crane. After a few moments of introduction, Crane bluntly asked the following question,” Mr. Shaffer, if I were to make the statement, the FBI is in the process of requiring all licensed tattoo parlors to share their customers personal information along with a description of the tattoo received, would the statement be true or false? Shaffer responded by saying, “That would be a true statement, the FBI is currently securing a process in which tattoo shops will be required by law to share their customers contact information along with a description of the tattoo rendered, the tattoo shops will be required to photograph the tattoo and scan it to our database. Crane asked Shaffer to explain the reasoning behind the list which seems inappropriately invasive, Shaffer answered the question with the following statement, “It’s nothing more than collecting and utilizing data. We may not like to admit it, but American citizens that have tattoos are 63% more likely to be involved in illegal or criminal activity than those that do not have tattoos.” The National Security Official went on to explain, “It’s the same as firearms, if local P.D or Highway Patrol were to pull someone over that is a registered firearm owner, that officer has the right to know this information going into the interaction, the same could be said about a local P.D or Highway Patrol Officer that pulled over a citizen that has tattoos that are not visible to the officer, the situations are honestly interchangeable in the eyes of National and Homeland Security. MSNBC correspondent Jason Crane asked Shaffer if placing citizens in a specific database just because they have tattoos is considered profiling, Shaffer responded to the question by saying, “as a nation do we complain when we add an inmate’s Crip or Blood tattoo to our prison tattoo database even though the individual swears up and down that they don’t have gang affiliation? Again these are 2 situations that are interchangeable, we can’t pick and choose.” Crane asked how individuals can find out if they are in this database, Shaffer responded, “Simply put, if you are planning to get a tattoo at a licensed tattoo shop then you will be in database.” The MSNBC correspondent concluded the interview by asking Shaffer, “aside from potential profiling from law enforcement, are there potentially any additional consequences of being in the National Tattoo Database” Shaffer responded by saying, “the purpose of the list is to collect and utilize data, not to create consequences. Aside from notifying law enforcement of your tattoos, it can show up to potential employers on select background checks.” |