The unethical biometric ID cards

[geko]

The home office (UK) has just announced that it will begin public trials of the ID cards tomorrow. These cards are for surveilance.

 

Indeed, surveilance cameras are already on every other street corner so your every movement is logged, now they want for all citizens to carry 'infallible' identification in case someone wants to know who you are. Facial, iris and fingerprint scans will be taken from the public and put on the cards initially.

 

Medical records, dental records, criminal records even beliefs, interests and friends will all be on the same thing before long - all done in little extensions of logic to not arrouse public suspicion. Once the cards are put through it's just a matter of time. After that it will be money - why have all those other loose cards falling out of your wallet, just have the 1 easy, convenient and discreet identification for all transactions (advertisment of child in playground showing off their new, jazzy, universal ID to their friends should be pictured here).

 

ALL transactions will be put forward to be done with the 1 card. Why not stick a chip in our heads and be done with it.

 

Maybe im just a paranoid sort of guy but i cant help but feel that the statement

 

"ID cards will help combat terrorism, ID fraud, illegal immigration and illegal working..........".

 

is a smoke screen for bagging and tagging the countrys' citizens.

 

Is it really believed that those guilty of organised terroism and fraud will have a harder job financing themselves because ID now contains genetic information unique to the individual that carries it? Id bet that they've already found a way around it and are even wanting the legislation to be passed through because they then have more secure ID. It sounds to me as though it's the normal people having more of their freedom removed whilst letting the elite slip ever-more freely and securely (and unquestioned) through the gaps... these are billion dollar businesses, how 'unforgable' can you get?

 

Of course, if you've got nothing to hide......... Every single phone call recorded, checked, flagged and evaluated to make sure you're keeping in-line and not planning anything unsocial. A yearly analysis of each individuals purchases and spending habits to aid in police searches. Surveilance cameras in every room in every home made compulsory to weed out child abuse.

 

....well, if you've got nothing to hide?

 

 

Anyway, this isnt even mentioning the fact that "Ministers have already said the enormous cost of introducing the national ID card - estimated at £3.1 billion - will be met by raising the cost of passports."

 

So, err.... the public will be paying again for their restriction of freedom? Well, who would have it any other way, huh?

 

Once again i see this plot as the governments' way of tagging their citizens to aid with 'keeping us all in line'. Well, after all, the public are sheep, are they not? Or maybe we're like the borg (or maybe soldier ants), all working towards maintaining and improving the 'collective'.

 

What say you lot, hey?

 

p.s. to all you spooks, no, im not a terrorist (as you will no doubt see).

[Freethinker]

It goes beyond this. And it gets even scarier..

 

Unique RFID

 

Walmart, the largest retailer in the world, is REQUIRING that all suppliers adopt Unique RFID for every product.

 

RFID is like the well established bar codes that allow scanning at cash registers. Instead of printed out and requiring an optical scanning system, it uses passive RF. Each item contains a circuit which wioll produce a signal identifying itself. Except instead of a printed label indicating the unique product out of all other products, this identifies that specific physical item. Each and every physical item will have it's own unique number.

 

Thank about it. you carry your biometric ID card, which is also RF compatible. The store knows when you came in, when you left, where you were at any one time in the store, what items you have taken off the self. In fact it knows what items you brought in with you as the RFID will be part of the product, not the container. At any time it will be possible to know where any one person is and what they are carryinging on them. Where that product came from, even if resold or given to a friend.

 

RFID tags: Big Brother in small packages

http://news.com.com/2010-1069-980325.html

 

The Trouble with RFID

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040216&s=garfinkel

 

German Consumers Say "NEIN!" to Spy Chips

http://www.spychips.com/

 

And I can assure you that the spooks have plenty of picts and docs of me in their files.

[Freethinker]

And here is some efforts against it:

 

RFID Tags in New US Notes Explode When You Try to Microwave Them

http://www.prisonplanet.com/022904rfidtagsexplode.html

[geko]

Cant even think of a response harsh enough for that! My god!

 

(p.s. you know some good websites - prison planet went straight into my favs - thx)

[GAHD]

lol, I don't understand why everyone's so paranoid about systems like this.

 

From my viewpoint universal cards WOULD help a lot of things; credit fraud, identity theft, etc... would all be rendered a lot more dificult in interpersonal environments. Worried about being followwed? "Whoopse! I 'accidentally' crushed the radio component of my card; still swipes though, so I'll wait to get that fixed..." or what about leaving your ID at home? There is no law requiring identification to be on your person, it's only there so people beleive what you say. Not driving, don't bring your licence. Time is alloted to obtain identification where it is necessarry...so what exactly IS the problem?

 

As for RFID, are you really that annoyed at 'walmart' knowing you bought your cdplayer from radio shack? Hell, it would provide a wealth of information to retailers I WANT them to have; I walk directly to what I want in the store, I won't touch let alone pay for repackaged and overpriced goods, etc... As well, most of that information is being gathered by the stores at this moment with current technology; floor walkers, security cameras, trasaction statements, all give the same information obtainable through RFID though in a less direct way. Come to think of it I can't think of many items I'd carry around that could possibly have RFID with the exception of an electronic key-card for access to my workplace.

 

In the end the best way for the truely paranoid to avoid such things is to just buy custom stuff, or manually go in a tear that little chip out. RFID is only really made possible by and for mass-market goods; a tailored jacket, pants etc... would not have them.

 

Don't underestimate the power of the boycott, and the power-drill.

[Freethinker]

Originally posted by: GAHD

lol, I don't understand why everyone's so paranoid about systems like this.

 

Many people will allow the continue slow elimination of personal freedoms. We got past 1984 before 1984 got here. So many stopped worrying. Mass ignorance is a strong tool for the government.

 

From my viewpoint universal cards WOULD help a lot of things; credit fraud, identity theft, etc... would all be rendered a lot more dificult in interpersonal environments. Worried about being followwed? "Whoopse! I 'accidentally' crushed the radio component of my card; still swipes though, so I'll wait to get that fixed..."

 

Showing you do not understand the technology. The mag stripe is on it's way out. Way too unreliable and very little room for data. The "Smart Card" will take over with RF technologies. If you fry the RF section, the card will be usless.

 

or what about leaving your ID at home? There is no law requiring identification to be on your person, it's only there so people beleive what you say. Not driving, don't bring your licence. Time is alloted to obtain identification where it is necessarry...so what exactly IS the problem?...Come to think of it I can't think of many items I'd carry around that could possibly have RFID with the exception of an electronic key-card for access to my workplace.

 

So the answer is to not drive? Perhaps not wear clothes, because in case you did not bother to read the resources included, the RFID device is the size of a grain of wheat and will be attached to the object itself.

 

In the end the best way for the truely paranoid

 

Minimalizing those of us that feel the need to protect our freedoms from exessive intrusion from the Government by calling us names is a poor tactic.

[geko]

.....want to add something myself as well.

 

"From my viewpoint universal cards WOULD help a lot of things; credit fraud, identity theft, etc... would all be rendered a lot more dificult in interpersonal environments."

 

Fraudsters will simply move with the times. Credit fraud and identity theft will continue as before but now it will be more secure for them as the system is so personal to the individual.

 

From what i gathered the RFID gives off a unique signal identifying itself when it is requested to by a 'receiver' (or whatever), surely it will not be that hard to intercept the signal? Even shut the original signal off remotely somehow - then the copy is the original and the original is the fraud (due to no signal being transmitted).

 

 

 

"Worried about being followwed? ..... what about leaving your ID at home? There is no law requiring identification to be on your person, it's only there so people beleive what you say."

 

They've already thought of this themsevles i would say. Give it a bit of time and it will be illegal to not carry authentic ID at all times, you may be a terroist. In the uk they've just made it a direct offense to be in possession of a second ID for this same reason i would say - even if it's obtained legally causing no harm or risk to the government.

 

 

 

"As for RFID, are you really that annoyed at 'walmart' knowing you bought your cdplayer from radio shack? Hell, it would provide a wealth of information to retailers I WANT them to have; I walk directly to what I want in the store.... etc..."

 

Would you rather be told what you'll like rather than look through the stores' stock yourself to see what you'll like? In the extreme i think this is totally unindividualistic thinking, at best it's being swade by targetted marketing with recommendations. I dont think i've ever bought a recommendation from a company, i seem to by pass these and find something more to my taste in the rest of their products.

 

 

 

"I won't .... pay for ... overpriced goods.."

 

The sources freethinker provided indicated that companies would be charged for each RF tag they bought for their products. You understand where this goes.

 

 

 

"... most of that information is being gathered by the stores at this moment with current technology; floor walkers, security cameras, trasaction statements, all give the same information obtainable through RFID though in a less direct way."

 

'Less direct way' i think is the key. These are not linked up electronically allowing a detailed database (information) to be kept on an individual.

[rileyj]

you really think people would get that if they didn't want to? the only way they can get everyone to wear that is 1. they force them 2. we do it by will. i doubt a lot of people will want to do that. and i doubt the governments can make them. maybe in some but not all,not in the U.S. aleast. and if so i know for sure not in me

[GAHD]

Originally posted by: Freethinker

 

 

Many people will allow the continue slow elimination of personal freedoms. We got past 1984 before 1984 got here. So many stopped worrying. Mass ignorance is a strong tool for the government.

 

True, but if freedom is your priority, prepare for oppression. If it's peace, prepare for war.

 

Originally posted by: Freethinker

 

 

Showing you do not understand the technology. The mag stripe is on it's way out. Way too unreliable and very little room for data. The "Smart Card" will take over with RF technologies. If you fry the RF section, the card will be usless.

 

Originally posted by: geko

 

From what i gathered the RFID gives off a unique signal identifying itself when it is requested to by a 'receiver' (or whatever), surely it will not be that hard to intercept the signal? Even shut the original signal off remotely somehow - then the copy is the original and the original is the fraud (due to no signal being transmitted).

 

Actually i understand the technology quite well; I work for a security firm using the technology on a daily basis. A similar system was recently placed in Calgary's Airport for personnel. Cards contain personal data, and a system for operating electronic locks. The card receives the command from the home station(reader), and then the appropriate device in the card responds with it's data.

As for the signal being intercepted; cards use a low-power signal that isn't detectible past a few inches. This is both a security and practical feature, more range needs more power and more power needs more space, something not practical for a 'card' (or 'grain') sized object. Interception would require quite a bit of work, and close range or access to the reader itself with knowledge of the encription of the transmitted data.

Remotely deactivating it? Somehow I doubt that would be a function built into the card, though if the cards support wireless updates than it could be a possibility to erase the card's updated data. As to the crushing comment, the card would likely be created like currect RF cards where every seperate function is handled by a different circuit and antenna, thus crushing the parts you DON'T use would not adversy affect those you do (ex. crushing the ID component of the airport card would still allow you acess to doors, though going through a security station where they manually check your ID would become troublesome).

On the topic of mag-swipe being on the out, look at your credit card; there is a mag-stripe AND the "outdated" nuber on the card. Old systems will invariably remain, in case the new one fails. Doing away with old tech is more efficient, but that is in direct opposition to everything government stands for these days.

 

Originally posted by: Freethinker

 

So the answer is to not drive? Perhaps not wear clothes, because in case you did not bother to read the resources included, the RFID device is the size of a grain of wheat and will be attached to the object itself.

Public transit is both a more economical and ecological option. To the clothing I reiterate; TAILORED.

 

Originally posted by: geko

 

The sources freethinker provided indicated that companies would be charged for each RF tag they bought for their products. You understand where this goes.

As my original statement still stands; "I won't .... pay for ... overpriced goods." If the cost of said transmitter makes the product's price too high, I WILL NOT BUY IT. Again information I WANT them to know.

 

Originally posted by: Freethinker

 

Minimalizing those of us that feel the need to protect our fre

[IrishEyes]

oh, GAHD...

Public transit is both a more economical and ecological option.

While I may agree in theory, be practical. I live in an area where PT is not possible. Should I just stay home and order everything from my computer? That would help the economy and the environment, right? Why don't we ALL stay home?

 

Oh, wait, the governement can monitor me through my online activity, unless I'm very diligent about updating some of the little 'thingies' my husband has added. So the gov't still can keep track of me. Of course, I can be monitored through my cable box, my cell phone usage, my credit card spending, my TiVo use...

 

I don't like that, but I don't think it makes me 'paranoid'. If I buy into your custom clothes idea to avoid the RFID, doesn't that also indicate a certain amount of paranoia, or is that denial? It's ok for some amount of discretion or concern for my personal privacy, but too much makes me paranoid, right? Come on!!

 

I totally agree with Freethinker and geko on this one! These cards will stop terrorism and identity fraud? In what version of reality? My husband breaks stuff like this for fun! And he's by no means a pro. You'd probably be disgusted if you knew how few personal freedoms you actually have. It's amazing what the government will lead us to believe, and most of us will buy it hook, line, and sinker!

 

I'm not a paranoid person, but I do believe that there should be limits as to what information companies and governments should be allowed to gather. Besides, there will always be people that make it their business to get around whatever the established security procedures are in any given country or area. If the answer to "safety" is more interference of MY freedoms, I'd rather take my chances with terrorists and indentity thieves!!

[sanctus]

Gahd, there is a difference between paranoia and accepting reality:

I'm in europe and we get other news than you in the USA I guess so I do not know if you heard about this (I've got the feeling that you freethinker know about :-) ).Anyway about a year ago one morning the news in the <u>national radio</u>said something like: "in the USA has been opened an office which has the task to distort information to support the government and his actions". Two days later the same radio again at seven in the morning said: "this office has been closed".

 

The conclusions I draw of this are:

• the information that comes from the US gouvernment are very poorly credible

• the governement tries to manipulate the ideas of the people

 

 

I want to underline just that I'm not intending to do anti-americanism (that's a word we hear quite often here lately), I'm sure other countries have a similar kind o manipulation, just there I haven't got the proof, so....

[IrishEyes]

sanctus, you are not wrong. there are at least dozens of offices in the US that intentionally promote misinformation. I'm almost positive (though I do not know from first hand knowledge) that other countries also have similar offices. while these are not always run exclusively by the government, they are usually funded by groups that heavily promote the interests of a particular political party.

 

Because I came about this information through first hand experience, does that make me paranoid, or lucky to still be alive? you decide. as for 'proof' of this... well, i have only the memories of what i heard and saw, and that was enough to give me nightmares for months! i did spend some time working at a cryptologic agency of the government though, and the tales i could tell... ugh!

[Freethinker]

Originally posted by: sanctus

Gahd, there is a difference between paranoia and accepting reality:

 

I'm in europe and we get other news than you in the USA I guess so I do not know if you heard about this (I've got the feeling that you freethinker know about :-) ).Anyway about a year ago one morning the news in the <u>national radio</u>said something like: "in the USA has been opened an office which has the task to distort information to support the government and his actions". Two days later the same radio again at seven in the morning said: "this office has been closed".

 

The conclusions I draw of this are:

 

• the information that comes from the US gouvernment are very poorly credible

 

• the governement tries to manipulate the ideas of the people

 

Yes I do, but you missed one of the biggest conclusions you can draw, esp from the 2nd days announcement.

 

• the office is open and doing it's job!

[GAHD]

To Irish eyes;

The theory of public transit only becomes a reality when there is a public willing to embrace it. I hear all day long how "great" the "freedom" of a car is, while at the same time I hear preaching at everycorner about tha hazards of cigarette smoke. I find it hillarious that a culture with over a century of expericence with pollution hasn't cut it's emission count.

I never said not liking the possibility makes you paranoid, I said thinking they actually CARE about you SPECIFICALLY was. Now if your husband has installed a proxy, firewall, etc... yes that prevents most people from breaking into your computer, but it does NOT stop them from monitoring your usage. Packet sniffers still provide raw data, any open ports are potential security holes, etc... In fact such things flag your IP address making it more likely that it WILL be focused on.

To sanctus;

I actually live in Canada, home of CSIS. While Europe does receive some data I may not normally be privy to, by no means does that mean I take CNN or TBS to be the end-all truth. In fact I routinely consult various news sources around the world. Some of them are specific news agencies, some specific people. I regard all media to be biased, all people in fact. It is a basic fact of life.

As to that office, there are many departments that do that, not the least of which is the department of Education. Information from ANY government isn't credible, government has always been a menas of controlling the massess just like religion.

I agree with Freethinker that the office is open and doing it's job, most likely it was the source of BOTH pieces of information. I myself am proudly anti-american...government. I am against a government where the individual's vote is relegated to a "popular" vote. I'magainst a government which used the death of innocents as an excuse to keep in power the president who blatently STOLE the position. I'm against a government that invokes a law whereby a person's right of free speach is revoked (patriot's act), and finally I'm against a government that links a CIA trained individual(Osama) with the person he was trained to fight against and uses that as an excuse to invade said country, promply coviring that lie with another blanket, and then focusing all media coverage on one specific city.

Now that that mini-rant is out of the way, again what specifically worries you about thease cards? I've asked a few times now only to have the subject slightly changed, the other bits of my writings dissected. Again, what SPECIFICALLY is the problem? Vague answerts like "my right to privacy", etc... keep coming up, but what exactly do you deam private? Where is the line drawn? I'm willing to bet birth certificats were just as protested when they came in, foot printing babies, etc...

[IrishEyes]

Again, what SPECIFICALLY is the problem? Vague answerts like "my right to privacy", etc... keep coming up, but what exactly do you deam private? Where is the line drawn? I'm willing to bet birth certificats were just as protested when they came in, foot printing babies, etc...

 

Ok, for me, it IS a privacy issue. Tagging money is bad enough (cool link, Freethinker!). Being able to use cash was once a very nice way to ensure that noone could track my spending, including my husband;>) Yes, the gov't could theoretcially try to track me on my computer, no denying that. I guess if I gave them a reason to, they'd certainly make it a point to try. But do I want to carry around id tags that are embedded in my store-bought clothing, that would basically alert them of everything I do? Do I want to be forced to carry around an id card that identifies me right down to my blood type and medical info? Heck no, I got OUT of the military on purpose!! And while your argument may be that we've come to accept birth certificates and baby footprinting, I'd argue that there is still a small fraction of the public that do NOT 'accept' these things. Why should we? And mandatory SSNs? Yuck!!! They already have ways to track us, that's my point. And I don't have to like it, and i DONT. But if I just accept it, if I say nothing and just go along, then how can I honestly expect anyone to care what I think when the rest of my rights are taken??? Why no RFIDs? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM IN MY STUFF!!! If enough people say that loud enough, hopefully someone will get the message. If not, then I guess I need to move to a small island somewhere, huh?

[GAHD]

Small islang might be a good idea, and again I make the point of the power of boycotting. DOes the Tea-party ring any bells? If you don't want them....don't buy them! problems with money? Coins are an option, older bills as well, and if new buils must be used, a utility knife and a lightbed will fix those annoying electronics tags, they're all in the right eye. Ok maybe all of that is an excessive amount of effort, but your right to privacy is shurely worth it, right?

Pardon me if I sound chauvanistic here, but you shouldn't have to avoind your husband tracking your spending. That indicates a level of mistrust I would not stand for were it even hinted at in a relationship. As for medical info and such, that's the reason people wear medic alert bracelets. I'd personally prefer the hospitals know my blood type, rather than transfusing the wrong stuff and clotting my arteries to all hell.

To sanctus again, I forgot to clarify prcisely the level of CSIS involvement; They have a file on every person in canada with a copy of every crime thery were charged with, convited with, aquited, etc... all identifying materials including birth certificate, sin number, every licence you've been issued. As well, all binding legal contracts signed, all information found in your possesion were you ever arrested, etc... I suppose I'm rather desencitised to information gathering by the fact that 4 years of my life were devoted to various market reserch positions, as well as my own personal reserch.

The only way to fight the system is to revolt, but that's too scary a concept for modern men and women; we live in a wold where life is too precios, fear is the tool of the government, the criminals, even the private sector.

But I digress.

THe best solution is to tag the problem at its source. That or start microwaving everything you own and patching the burn marks.

[geko]

Privacy = secrecy. And i see an individuals right to secrecy (mine, yours), as a given. For anyone (or body) to claim they have a right to restrict or denounce this is a total invasion to the individuals' identity. Hypothetically this is a highly valid reason to go to war.

 

I guess there are those of us that long for privacy and minimal government interferance and those of us that will choose safety through restriction of liberty. The majority will always choose the latter. The latter also leads to the concept of the face-less masses - just what big brother wants (along with absolute control).