[LINK] Re: RFID in Govt, and in People

[Lea de Groot]

Geoff Ramadan wrote:
> What NEW privacy concerns are specifically raised because of RFID?

Certainly, there is little directly different in an RFID implementation 
over, say, a barcode implementation, but my first guess at an answer has 
2 parts:

Firstly, the 'new technology' is an 'excuse' for new funding for a new 
information system. Its important that the 'new' system have the same , 
or better, controls on our privacy as the previous systems.
If the system is being redeveloped this is not an excuse for 
cross-government-department linking, to our detriment.

Secondly, RFID opens up the possibility for remote sensing that 'simple' 
paper-based (ie barcode) systems did not - you cannot have a system set 
up outside the library door to scan the barcodes of unsuspecting 
borrowers leaving the library, you might be able to with rfid tags.
You cannot read the paper details of someone's passport as they walk 
past you, you might be able to if the document is tagged with an RFID 
transmitter.

New publically  systems must improve on old systems in all their 
measures, not just their whiz-bang measures.

IMHO
Lea
-- 
Lea de Groot
Brizzie