I blogged last week about California schools tracking preschoolers with RFID. Now the New York Times has an editorial condemning the practice. The big issue comes down to this:
Editorial - Keeping Track of the Kids - NYTimes.com Though it may seem innocuous to attach a chip to our preschoolers’ clothes, do we really want to raise a generation of kids that are accustomed to being tracked, like cattle or warehouse inventory?
The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario is speaking out about the proposed new ehanced drivers license, which is planning to use an RFID chip: New ID card threatens our privacy Canada News Toronto Sun.
I hope to have the time this weekend to make my way through the incredible variety of privacy-related articles in the most recent Scientific American. Thanks to Library Boy for pointing to this, which I surely would have missed had it not been for his link.
Check them all out:
The Federal, Provincial and Territorial Privacy Commissioners came out yesterday against proposed RFID embedded super drivers licenses designed to facilitate border crossings:
Nova Scotia News - TheChronicleHerald.caKeep drivers' information in Canada — officials
Privacy commissioners slam plan to produce national identity cards
By DIRK MEISSNER
The Canadian Press
Wed. Feb 6 - 6:15 AM
VICTORIA — Personal information about Canadian drivers must stay in the country as plans are developed to introduce high-tech driver’s licences in Canada that will be accepted as identification at United States border crossings, Canada’s privacy commissioners said Tuesday.
The commissioners issued a joint statement that called on Ottawa and provincial and territorial governments participating in the so-called enhanced driver’s licence programs to ensure the personal information of participating drivers stays in Canada.
The commissioners also said they continue to voice their opposition to any plans to introduce national identity cards and systems.
British Columbia and the federal government reached an agreement last month to start issuing the enhanced driver’s licences on a trial basis. Ontario is examining a similar licensing program.
The enhanced licences, equipped with radio frequency chips, allow border officials to access personal identity information. They can be used as an alternative to a Canadian passport.
Jennifer Stoddart, Canada’s privacy commissioner, said her office is monitoring the progress of the enhanced driver’s licence program and recently received a government privacy-impact analysis. She said her office is not yet ready to give the green light to the licence program.
"Maybe our positions are more nuanced than that when we say with all these progressive and incremental steps towards measures that increasingly limit Canadians’ privacy, this is what you should be looking for," Stoddart said.
"These are the steps you need to follow," she said. "Have you chosen the least privacy-invasive route?"
David Loukidelis, B.C.’s privacy commissioner, said Canadians need to be reminded that a Canadian passport is a well-established, highly secure identification document.
"These enhanced driver’s licences or EDL programs do raise concerns about security and privacy of personal information on a number of fronts," Loukidelis said.
There are concerns that the radio frequency technology on the chips embedded into the licences could be skimmed by others or used to track individuals, he said.
The commissioners are concerned about the transfer across borders of databases containing personal information about Canadians, Loukidelis said.
"We don’t do that now with passport databases and we don’t see why we would need to do anything differently when it comes to enhanced driver’s licences."
The B.C. government has received 800 volunteers for the enhanced driver’s licence program within the first two days of the pilot project.
John van Dongen, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister, said 500 licences will be issued in British Columbia.
He said the information contained in the licences provides border officials with proof of citizenship, a photograph to confirm identity and status to legally cross the border.
"They do not access medical records," he said. "They do not access driver’s records. They do not access fines, tickets, penalties. They do not access accident history. None of that information is of any interest to the border agencies in either country."
The Privacy Commissioners of the provinces, territories and Canada are planning to speak out about RFID drivers licenses as part of their semi-annual get-together, being held in Victoria this week. This has been precipitated by BC's recent announcement to introduce a new RFID embedded license to facilitate border crossings. See: Code-broadcasting chips to be embedded in B.C. driver's licenses.
Over the holidays, the US government published information about a new passport card to facilitate travel by Americans in North America. One "feature" is causing a lot of concern: the technology (presumably RFID) built into the card means they can be read over a distance of up to eight metres. The cards will be issued with protective sleeves for those who want to use them, but this doesn't assuage privacy advocates who think the technology is inherently flawed. See: globeandmail.com: U.S. 'vicinity-read' cards assailed by privacy experts.
Hitachi has just unveiled a new generation of tiny RFID chips that are .15 mm X .15 mm. They're so small, they're nicknamed "dust".
California has led the way in privacy legislation, much of which has largely been followed by other states. Will they follow with legislation similar to this to solve a problem that is more theoretical than real?
California outlaws the forced subdermal RFID tagging of humans:"Worrying that your employer will force you to stick a small chip beneath your skin ranks low on the list of employee concerns in most parts of the country, but that didn't stop the state of California from passing a bill last week to ban such forced tagging of humans. The state senator who sponsored the bill called forced RFID tagging the 'the ultimate invasion of privacy,' and his bill is now on its way to the governor's desk for his signature. ..."
CAPAPA supports Canadian’s Right to Know “Privacy IS Your Business”(Calgary, Alberta)August 26, 2007 – CAPAPA (Canadian Association of Professional Access and Privacy Administrators) is pleased to support international Privacy Awareness Week, August 26th to September 1st, 2007. Privacy Awareness Week, a campaign first initiated by Privacy Victoria (Australia) in 2001, has for the first time gone international.
As Canada’s leading association serving privacy and access professionals, CAPAPA is spearheading the campaign to promote privacy awareness in Canada. “Identity theft and information security breaches are happening more often than ever,” says CAPAPA National Chair Sharon Polsky. “To reverse that trend, Canadians must recognize the importance of protecting their personal information — at home, in the workplace, and in the consumer marketplace.”
Privacy Awareness Week provides an opportunity for individuals to raise questions about privacy legislation and its impact on how individuals conduct their business and personal lives. Privacy Awareness Week spotlights the need for Canadians to recognize their rights and obligations to maintain the privacy of their personal information. The theme for Privacy Awareness Week 2007 is ‘Privacy is your business'.
Know your Rights and Obligations
Canadian organizations, governments, and government agencies are bound by a variety of wide-reaching privacy laws. Ms. Polsky notes that, “As consumers, each of us is responsible to understand what our rights and responsibilities are under those laws.”
CAPAPA is a key source for helping Canadians recognize their privacy rights and responsibilities, and is the privacy advocate’s source for issues such as the passenger name record exchange, emerging RFID CHIP technology, and CAPAPA's Submission to the Senate on proposed changes to Canada’s Election Act.
More information on these and other Canadian privacy issues is at http://www.capapa.org./ For more information on how you can promote Privacy Awareness Week 2007, visit http://www.capapa.org/ or contact CAPAPA at: info@capapa.org.
One of two initiatives in Congress, which may never see the light of day, would replace the flimsy social security card with a biometric ID that employers would be required to verify before employing anybody.
National ID: Biometrics Pinned to Social Security CardsThe Social Security card faces its first major upgrade in 70 years under two immigration-reform proposals slated for debate this week that would add biometric information to the card and finally complete its slow metamorphosis into a national ID.
The leading immigration proposal with traction in Congress would force employers to accept only a very limited range of approved documents as proof of work eligibility, including a driver's license that meets new federal Real ID standards, a high-tech temporary work visa or a U.S. passport with an RFID chip. A fourth option is the notional tamper-proof biometric Social Security card, which would replace the text-only design that's been issued to Americans almost without change for more than 70 years.
A second proposal under consideration would add high-tech features to the Social Security card allowing employers to scan it with specially equipped laptop computers. Under that proposal, called the "Bonner Plan," the revamped Social Security card would be the only legal form of identification for employment purposes.
Neither bill specifies what the biometric would be, but it could range from a simple digital photo to a fingerprint or even an iris scan. The proposals would seem to require major changes to how Social Security cards are issued: Currently, new and replacement cards are sent in the mail. And parents typically apply for their children before they're old enough to give a decent fingerprint.
There are also logistical problems to overcome before forcing all of the nation's employers to verify a biometric card -- given the nation has millions of employers, many of whom may not have computer equipment at all....
The United States Department of Defence is requiring suppliers of some commodities to use passive RFID chips to identify and inventory supplies. From Cryptome: DoD Final Rule on RFID Spy Chips.
A company has developed an RFID tattoo, that has all the benefits of RFID implantation, but without the messy chip. The chip is replaced by a tattoo. The company is touting its benefits in traceability of the meat supply, but is also suggesting that it may be useful in soldiers:
Industrial Control Designline RFID Ink... The ink also could be used to track and rescue soldiers, Pydynowski said.
"It could help identify friends or foes, prevent friendly fire, and help save soldiers' lives," he said. "It's a very scary proposition when you're dealing with humans, but with military personnel, we're talking about saving soldiers' lives and it may be something worthwhile."
I can't imagine anything more dangerous than tagging all soliders with a tracking device that may be hacked by the other side. Instead of saving lives, it may result in wholesale destruction. I wonder how long it would be before we saw RFID activated IEDs? Not long, I expect.
Thanks to Schneier for the link.
If you have been run out of Wisconsin and were thinking you'd while away the day wandering through Colorado, implanting RFID chips in unsuspecting citizens, think again. Colorado has joined the aforementioned cheesy state to make it a misdemeanor to require chipping of individuals. See: Rocky Mountain News - Bill would nip chips in humans.
There are still a few states left that haven't abridged the right to chip.
Thanks to Objective Justice for the link.
Engadget featured an interesting product this week that you can put in your wallet or attach to your cell phone to supposedly thwart would-be skimmers from gaining access to the data on contactless (read: RFID) cards. See: Elecom intros skim prevention kit for wallet, cellphone - Engadget.
Move along, move along. Nothing to see here.
According to Bloomberg, the country that brought you the Magna Carta, pervasive surveillance, RFID passports and national ID cards is testing a new upgrade of CCTV surveillance technology. Instead of just standing idly by as passive sentries, cameras in Middlesbrough will be able to yell at ne'er do wells and miscreants.
George Orwell Was Right: Spy Cameras See Britons' Every MoveBy Nick Allen
Dec. 22 (Bloomberg) -- It's Saturday night in Middlesbrough, England, and drunken university students are celebrating the start of the school year, known as Freshers' Week.
One picks up a traffic cone and runs down the street. Suddenly, a disembodied voice booms out from above:
``You in the black jacket! Yes, you! Put it back!'' The confused student obeys as his friends look bewildered.
``People are shocked when they hear the cameras talk, but when they see everyone else looking at them, they feel a twinge of conscience and comply,'' said Mike Clark, a spokesman for Middlesbrough Council who recounted the incident. The city has placed speakers in its cameras, allowing operators to chastise miscreants who drop coffee cups, ride bicycles too fast or fight outside bars.
Almost 70 years after George Orwell created the all-seeing dictator Big Brother in the novel ``1984,'' Britons are being watched as never before. About 4.2 million spy cameras film each citizen 300 times a day, and police have built the world's largest DNA database. Prime Minister Tony Blair said all Britons should carry biometric identification cards to help fight the war on terror.
``Nowhere else in the free world is this happening,'' said Helena Kennedy, a human rights lawyer who also is a member of the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament. ``The American public would find such inroads into civil liberties wholly unacceptable.''
During the past decade, the government has spent 500 million pounds ($1 billion) on spy cameras and now has one for every 14 citizens, according to a September report prepared for Information Commissioner Richard Thomas by the Surveillance Studies Network, a panel of U.K. academics.
...
Thanks to Rob Hyndman for passing along the link.
CNet 2006: A privacy and surveillance year in review. Some highlights:
2006 HighlightsGonzales: NSA may tap 'ordinary' Americans' e-mail
During Senate hearing, attorney general declines to offer reassurances about a secret surveillance program.
February 6, 2006
Judge: Google must give feds limited access to records
Privacy-aware ruling says search giant must turn over a swath of indexed URLs--but not users' queries.
March 17, 2006
CNET News.com chronicles the dramatic increase in tech industry lobbying while highlighting big spenders.
March 27, 2006
Appeals court upholds Net-wiretapping rules
Bush administration's Net surveillance plans receive boost from appeals court, which refused to overturn rules.
June 9, 2006
Feds appeal loss in NSA wiretap case
Bush administration asks the 9th Circuit to halt a lawsuit that accuses AT&T of illegally opening its network to the NSA.
July 31, 2006
AOL's disturbing glimpse into users' lives
Release of three-month search histories of about 650,000 users provides rare glimpse into their private lives.
August 7, 2006
RFID passports arrive for Americans
State Department to begin handing out RFID-equipped passports despite lingering security, privacy concerns.
August 14, 2006
Post-9/11 antiterror technology: A report card
As September 11 nears, News.com examines five useful ways of improving security--and five that should raise eyebrows.
September 7, 2006
Post-9/11 privacy and secrecy: A report card
Since September 11, the federal government has been trying to learn more about us, while keeping us from knowing what it's doing. Is this wise?
September 8, 2006
FBI director wants ISPs to track users
Robert Mueller becomes latest Bush administration official to call for ISPs to store customers' data.
October 17, 2006
Technology voter guide 2006: Rating politicians
How did U.S. politicians vote on tech-related proposals? Find out by clicking on a state, then on a name.
November 2, 2006
FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool
Agency used novel surveillance technique on alleged Mafioso: activating his cell phone's microphone and then just listening.
December 1, 2006
Bush's privacy watchdogs make public debut
At first public meeting, White House panel hears from civil-liberties advocates but sheds little light on supposed watchdog role.
December 5, 2006
Congress and tech: Little to show
Lawmakers made a lot of noise over MySpace, China and Net neutrality, but tech-related laws were hard to come by.
December 11, 2006
Bruce Schneier recently linked to an interesting project that set up a surveillance system to track people using the Nike/iPod Sport Kit. The kit's intended use is to have your shoes talk to your iPod Nano to track your run. However, the shoes transmit a unique ID more than sixty feet to whoever may be listening in. With less than $250 in equipment, the researchers were able to track unwitting joggers.
As one commenter noted at Bruce's blog, perhaps we can't call them sneakers any more...
Cracked it! Special reports Guardian Unlimited:...By last month, Booth, Laurie and I each had access to a new biometric chipped passport and were ready to begin testing them. Laurie's first port of call was the ICAO's website, where the organisation had published specifications for the new travel documents. This is where he learned that the key to opening up the secure chip was contained in the passports themselves - passport number, date of birth and expiry date.
"I was amazed that they made it so easy," Laurie says. "The information contained in the chip is not encrypted, but to access it you have to start up an encrypted conversation between the reader and the RFID chip in the passport.
"The reader - I bought one for £250 - has to say hello to the chip and tell it that it is authorised to make contact. The key to that is in the date of birth, etc. Once they communicate, the conversation is encrypted, but I wrote some software in about 48 hours that made sense of it.
"The Home Office has adopted a very high encryption technology called 3DES - that is, to a military-level data-encryption standard times three. So they are using strong cryptography to prevent conversations between the passport and the reader being eavesdropped, but they are then breaking one of the fundamental principles of encryption by using non-secret information actually published in the passport to create a 'secret key'. That is the equivalent of installing a solid steel front door to your house and then putting the key under the mat."
Within minutes of applying the three passports to the reader, the information from all of them has been copied and the holders' images appear on the screen of Laurie's laptop. The passports belong to Booth, and to Laurie's son, Max, and my partner, who have all given their permission....
