Germany Bans Smiling in Passport Photos

Travel Blog  •  Michael Yessis  •  09.16.05 | 12:22 AM ET

It’s a security thing, according to the Associated Press story about German Interior Minister Otto Schily’s announcement: “Facial recognition systems match key features on the holder’s face and work best when the face has a neutral expression with the mouth closed.” Boing Boing reports that Canada and Britain have already made the same ban.