[LINK] myki - a tracking device (was Re: more myki pain)

[Stephen Wilson]

Stilgherrian wrote:
> On 11/04/2010, at 5:24 PM, andrew clarke wrote:
>> If someone has a particular reason for their destination to be unknown
>> they could choose to not touch-off.  
> This does, of course, represent changing the default position of "government entity may track my movements" from "if I am reasonably suspected to have committed a crime" to "always". I'm not sure we should flip this switch without a serious public policy discussion.
I would have thought it would be pretty straightforward to hold the myki 
operators to account under the Privacy Act (and Victoria's own privacy 
and human rights legislation). If myki has any defensible interests at 
all in tracking travellers individually, then it has to show that 
collecting personally identifiable information is specifically necessary 
for the conduct of its business.  It has to show that the personal 
information is not retained any longer than is necessary, that 
travellers are reasonably aware that the personal information is being 
collected, and that the personal information is not used for unrelated 
secondary purposes, nor disclosed to any other organisation without 
consent.  Law enforcement exceptions of course apply, but the 
surveillance that people are anxious about is far far removed from the 
business of operating a ticketing system. 

Surely we have the regulatory framework already to combat arbitrary 
tracking of public transport customers? 

Cheers,

Stephen Wilson

Lockstep
www.lockstep.com.au <http://www.lockstep.com.au>
Lockstep Consulting provides independent specialist advice and analysis
on digital identity and privacy.  Lockstep Technologies develops unique
new smart ID solutions that enhance privacy and prevent identity theft.