There is a very interesting article in the Seattle Times about a National Science Foundation funded experiment at the University of Washington called the RFID Ecosystem project. According to the story, a number of University of Washington "students, faculty and staff are being tracked as they move about the computer-science building, with details of where they've been, and with whom, stored in a database."
The point of the exercise is to "explore both positive and negative aspects of a world saturated with technology that can monitor people and objects remotely."
Computer science and engineering Professor Gaetano Borriello says in the article that, "Our objective is to create a future world where RFID is everywhere and figure out problems we'll run into before we get there."
The project has highlighted how easily a person's privacy can be penetrated without their knowing about it - something that governments around the world have started exploiting.
The article, for example, describes how the UK police are increasingly asking for information from London's RFID-based transit cards as well as the governmental activities in southern China, where "the government is installing RFID readers throughout the city of Shenzhen to track movements of citizens, and U.S. companies are helping deploy the technology. Chips in national ID cards contain not just a number, but a person's work history, education, religion, ethnicity, police record and reproductive history."
The article also notes that the Department of Homeland Security requires states to use an RFID chip in driver licenses that is readable from a distance and is compatible with its REAL ID initiative, which Borriello doesn't think is a good idea.
"There's no reason to have remotely readable technology in a driver's license," Borriello is quoted as saying in the article. Instead, he "recommends a system that requires contact with the surface of a reader, so the license-holder knows when information on his license is being read."
If you want to see how RFID may be used in your near-future, go read the story and the other publications at the UW RFID Ecosystem project website.
IEEE Spectrum also had an article last March on the ethics of implanted RFID chips and another in December 2004 on how employers are using surveillance technology to keep an eye on workers.
Comments (6)
The RFID story does not surprise me. Governments have the tendency to seek full information on, and full control of, everyone and everything.
We could demand reversal of certain Government policies, but let's not hold our breaths while waiting. It might be more effective to develop countermeasures to RFID snooping. Carrying RFID-embedded cards in shielded holders may offer some protection, for now.
Posted by Kenneth Hoffmann | April 3, 2008 2:29 PM
Posted on April 3, 2008 14:29
My question is, what does it matter if the gouvernment knows where I drive, how will it negatively affect me? Can't the information be used to tax large motor vehicles and people who drive more frequently, especially in over congested areas? Public transport can be promoted this way. What about systems giving tax relief to public transport users? Won't it also help with crime prevention. How will Government "Control" me with knowing where I've been?
Posted by Fanus Swanepoel | April 4, 2008 9:02 AM
Posted on April 4, 2008 09:02
There is a small elite, perhaps less then 5% of the population that control the US Government. The CIA, FBI, DHLS, NSA etc are simply tools to effect keeping that control.
Nietzche said: "Circumstances for change must be created and the best circumstances are often emergencies. Because emergencies effectively remove obstacles that otherwise would be difficult to explain to implement radicial change."
Nietzche and Kant inadvertently laid the foundation and therefore road map for the changes we see today in the US.
By allowing people inadvertent and frivolous freedoms they provide the cosmetics of elections, the masses can be allowed to beleive they live in a democracy.
For these people have long learned that control thru force usually backfires. But slow suffering or even torture when warranted bring about the control and changes desired. This control MUST be effective to smell the gathering of any group of people that may become informed and desire to effect a change. Mr. Orwell, wasn't informed enough to know the mechanics in detail, but as an elitest he knew the principles. Today the greatest danger to humanity is the United States Government, albeit they have dangerous allies.
el que sabe
Posted by Clark | April 4, 2008 11:18 AM
Posted on April 4, 2008 11:18
Interesting article:
http://www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles5(1)/paranoia.pdf
Also read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Mitchell_effect
Posted by Fanus Swanepoel | April 9, 2008 9:28 AM
Posted on April 9, 2008 09:28
Business Op: Little metalized baggies that block the RFID signal.
Posted by Andy | April 9, 2008 7:03 PM
Posted on April 9, 2008 19:03
RFID technology can be of great benefit, and for that reason it is proliferating, however the same features that make it so useful can make it have a much larger risk. Risk of misuse by companies is significant, but they can only hurt you financially. A government can take your freedom, and your life. Some think that “laws” can be made to prevent abuse, but laws are of little protection in the real world as can be seen when over 1000 FBI files were found in the U.S. White House during the last administration. If the information has been collected in a form that can be readily accessed the damage could be done long before the legal system can intervene. In many cases the government that imposed the data collection did it for what it saw as a legitimate reason believing it would do no harm, and they were doing the “peoples will”, but an administration or two down the road, and a crisis, real or imagined, and the data is used to subvert the very people it was to protect. An example is the gun registration laws in 1929 Germany. These were to remove pistols in private hands, and register long arms. This was done for a “very good” reason to reduce violence. One administration later, and this data became very useful to Heinrich Himmler in his card file database.
Posted by Mike Swift | April 12, 2008 8:34 PM
Posted on April 12, 2008 20:34