RFID In Government Issued ID?

RFID! writes, "The Department of Homeland Security's Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee published a draft report that poured cold water on using RFID in government-mandated identity cards and documents (PDF link). But this met with some consternation among the DHS bureaus that plan to use RFID in this way and the businesses eager to sell the technology to the government, and now a vote on the report has been delayed until December."

It was only a matter of time

[PixieDust]

While I can see plenty of good, legitimate, wholesome uses for this, personally I think it opens the foor for too much. Though the same could be said of the current Bar Codes and Magnetic Stripes, they're not actually just sitting there broadcasting.

Personally I don't like the idea of RFID tags in much of anything. Too many things being tracked. When you see just how much information Corporate America has on it's customers, it makes you shudder thinking about how much the Government must have on you. It is odd, however, to note that occasionally the Industrial Espionage works better than the US Government's does.

stating the obvious

[frovingslosh]

They did a study to support their decision, they didn't get the result they wanted, so they are delaying the vote (can't have it now right before the election) and then will decide to do exactly what they want to do in spite of the study. Nothing to see here, business as usual, move on, don't protest or risk arrest.

RFID is only a supplemental technology

[unPlugged-2.0]

As someone who works with RFID regularly the report does not surprise me.

The biggest problem with RFID is that too many industries (government included) are implementing it because it is a neat technology. In reality it is great for some things but not so good for others.

I do think that RFID will eventually be good for adding more information and for use as human id's but only with a supplementatl verification system like BioMetrics.

But even just RFID alone is in no way less secure than printing a number on your passport that uniquely identifies you. I think that your passport number is a much easier counterfeit target than a chip in your passport.

If you just clone the chip it is very unlikely that customs will only want to check your chip and not the rest of your passport or your picture.