Privacy Threat in New RFID Travel Cards?

DemolitionX9 writes to tell us ZDNet has an interesting article rehashing the problems with privacy in future RFID-equipped travel documents and ID. The piece focuses on a recent speech given by Jim Williams, director of the Department of Homeland Security's US-VISIT program. From the article: "Many of the privacy worries center on whether RFID tags--typically minuscule chips with an antenna a few inches long that can transmit a unique ID number--can be read from afar. If the range is a few inches, the privacy concerns are reduced. But at ranges of 30 feet, the tags could theoretically be read by hidden sensors alongside the road, in the mall or in the hands of criminals hoping to identify someone on the street by his or her ID number."

yes, but..

[ShaniaTwain]

..think of how this will protect your FREEDOM! and LIBERTY!

Cheap thrills posted by bat020

[Philip K Dickhead]

I did this today and it made me insanely happy for about 15 seconds.

Find a BT landline phone. Send a text message to it reading "The time space continuum is about to collapse." Wait by the phone. A few seconds later it will ring - and Tom Baker will read your message out to you!

Let me be the first to say

[eclectro]

Give me a yagi and I'll read your tagy.

I don't want to be tagged!

[Bromskloss]

Please hurry the development of space tech so I can move to another planet, should it be necessary.

Re:yes, but..

[sgant]

Jim Williams, director of the Department of Homeland Security

Isn't this the guy that got busted as a pedophile?

Ok, I know it isn't....but whenever I get the chance from now on, I'm going to do my part and belittle the Department of Homeland Security as much as I can. Hopefully distilling it into the joke that it is. I only wish I could get into press-conferences where they're speaking and ask that question. "Excuse me, were you the guy that was busted for being a pedophile"?

If you couldn't tell, I'm a disillusioned American.

Re:Lay off the Philip K Dick.

[idontgno]

When cars are moving past the checkpoint at 30-60mph, which of the machines there are going to check finger prints and iris geometry again?

I'm guessing it'll be like a toll booth change bucket; just toss your finger and your eyeball into the basket and you're off!

How you detach those components and grow them back later is your problem.

Re:Lay off the Philip K Dick.

[Ced_Ex]

Nearly everyone (who was white) was waved through. Canadian border was just as bad. Oddly, it was quite an ordeal to get into Canada, but coming back they just waved me through.

I've always had the situation when going into the US, they ask if I have and fresh fruit/vegetables or meats to declare. However, when I go into Canada, I'm always asked if I have any firearms or weapons to declare.

Re:I want a RFID reader

[Foobar of Borg]

I'd love to see who is coming and going in and out of whatever building I'm in - and make a database of people of interest so my wearable computer could page me whenever one's around.

This ability would make it well worth these RFID ids being mandated.

Or, as the pedophile official in DHS might say, "Think of the children, 'cause I sure do!"