Look Glum for the Birdie

"Say cheese" -- that's not what Germans will be hearing when they next head to a photographer for passport photographs.

A new regulation orders Germans applying for new passports from November to wipe the grin off their faces and instead pose with a neutral expression. Otherwise biometric scanners may not be able to accurately read their facial features, according to the federal interior ministry.

In addition, those accustomed to tilting their faces to appear at their best, will have to forgo that too, and look straight at the camera.

The ministry says that biometric facial recognition technology -- an internationally agreed standard meant to aid the fight against terrorism and identity fraud -- works best when the face is expressionless with the mouth closed.

It's not clear what effect banning beams -- even if artificially produced for a photograph -- might have in a country not known for spontaneous smiling.

But Germans dejected by the prospect of having to show glum-looking identification at international borders can take heart from the fact that they aren't alone: This week, Britons in need of new passports were also told to stop smiling for the birdie.