Control β safety
Governments and organization all around the world making us believe that the more control they have β the safer it is.
Usually it goes something like this: To make this transaction safer, please provide: your phone number, picture of your face, name of your mother, your fingerprint, picture of your id.
Safer for who? I didn't feel threatened at all π
So the idea is β the more information (i.e. control) they have β the safer everything is.
In Brazil to open a bank account it is required to provide your finger print and a face 3D scan (haven't seen anything like it before). All GYMs have a fingerprint scanner at the entrance, so they store their clients fingerprints (again, nowhere have I seen anything like it). Metro and bus cards (at least in SΓ£o Paulo city) are attached to your identity β no anonymous cards for tourists exist (guess where I have seen something similar before π). In addition bus ticket barrier has a camera starring in your face. To activate a SIM card you need to have a CPF (local tax ID). You can get CPF as a tourist, but again they need to know your identity in order to let you use the cell phone. Some places ask for your CPF and name, before they let you access their Wi-Fi.
Locals do not notice it, because they used to it and "Fish does not know it is in the water". For me as an outsider β it was very noticeable.
So, with all those measures in place, Brazil is the safest country on the planet, right?