Drivers License Swipes Raise Privacy Concerns

Clubs in New York, New Jersey, and elsewhere are requiring patrons to give up their drivers licenses for a swipe through a card reader. Some bars do this too. The card reader displays their birth date and the establishments let it be assumed that the only purpose of the swipe is to check the customer's age. They rarely if ever disclose that the personal data stored on the license — the customer's name, address, license number, perhaps even height, weight, and eye color — go into a database and are retained, perhaps indefinitely. While a federal law forbids selling or sharing data from drivers licenses, there is no prohibition against collecting it. A few states have enacted such prohibitions — New Hampshire, Texas, and Nebraska. Privacy advocates warn that such personal data, once in a database, is bound to be misused. From the article: "'I don't see no problem,' said [a club-goer], 22. 'That happens every day on the Internet. Any hacker can get the information anyway.' [A Web media executive] said such reactions aren't surprising from a generation accustomed to sharing personal information on Web sites such as Facebook.com and Myspace.com. 'The kids don't care,' [he] said, 'because only old people like you and me suffer from the illusion of privacy these days.'"

It's true

[kamapuaa]

Good quote, it's funny because it's true. My myspace pages (and I have like 7 or 8 of them) all list my name, address, license number, height, weight, and eye color. I don't understand old people not listing their license on their myspace pages. How are you supposed to know if it's really them?

I guess it's a good thing...

[Anonymous Coward]

That I'm under 21 and use a fake id!

Mating instinct vs privacy concerns...

[Bamafan77]

Aaah, evolution makes life so simple at times. In my younger days (I'm a ripe old 29 now), if a blood sample would bump me to the front of the line at a hot club in LA, I'd have gladly given it up. Thank goodness, I've matured since then. . . . . hehe, just kidding. I'd still cough up the blood sample. :)

Re:Mating instinct vs privacy concerns...

[Dachannien]

In other words, you'd give up a blood sample now for a small chance at the opportunity to give up a semen sample later?

Re:It shouldn't matter.

[BootNinja]

You know that sound you're hearing? That's the sound of sarcasm doing a flyby on your head.

Re:Bummer

[Anonymous Coward]

Aren't you allowed to have sex or buy alcohol if you are under 40 where you live?

No.

He lives at his parents' house.

Re:It shouldn't matter.

[kamapuaa]

How are you supposed to know if it's really them?

Why do you care?

No offense - we've never met, after all, and I haven't even seen your myspace page - but that's really dense. I need to know their license numbers because when I'm away for the weekend I leave my keys in the car, I often let other myspace members it if they need to make a quick drive, to get groceries or whatever.

Re:They don't care? They will...

[Falladir]

precious few know how to think anymore

Was it ever that much better? There was no glorious golden age of intellectualism in America, when every boy and girl could generate Euclid's theorems and apply Newton's laws.

Re:Mating instinct vs privacy concerns...

[name*censored*]

What gives? Why do you people keep going back to these places? What could possibly be in there that makes it worth it?

Hey I think I know what club you're talking about - I see lines outside it all the time (I think there's a chain of them)! It is called a "toilet"? I've never seen what's so good about them, there are so many places to go in this city

Re:Southeast Wisconsin

[cakefool]

*DEPPARTMENT OF THE ARMY*UNITED STATES OF AMMERICA*

Strangely, I would feel no confidence in the accuracy of this ID. Wonder why...

Re:no problem

[Bloke down the pub]

Well, actually I give a fake address in a different country, earn at least $5000000 per year

Greetings friend!

Do you need any assistance in getting that money out of the country?

I can put you in touch with some people who specialise in that kind of thing. I just ask for a small commission, payable in advance.

Re:Mating instinct vs privacy concerns...

[Bloke down the pub]

True, but they do tend to clot more in some places than in others...

I try to keep away from them when they're in that phase.

Re:Easy fix

[darkstar949]

A military ID isn't always accepted by the store - case and point, when I was living in San Antonio (major military city) I tried to show my military ID when I wrote a check and the declined it because it was "not an official ID issued by the government".

Re:It shouldn't matter.

[Anonymous Coward]

Why do you care? Really -- why does it matter? Unless you're planning on using MySpace as a dating service ... It's like asking whether the clerk at the Dunkin Donuts counter is a transsexual
You! Dammit, I used to believe people's A/S/L answers until you started playing your sick game with my heart! I'll never forgive you!

Re:It's settled then

[spirality]

Welcome to the government-sponsored corporate survailence society.