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

[Craig Sanders]

On Sun, Apr 11, 2010 at 05:24:39PM +1000, andrew clarke wrote:
> On Sun 2010-04-11 15:05:03 UTC+1000, Craig Sanders (cas at taz.net.au) wrote:
> > AFAICT, unless the Vic govt and transport ministry is completely stupid
> > or completely corrupt (i wouldn't entirely rule out either), the real,
> > unstated reason behind myki is the ability to track where individuals
> > travel to and from, and where they are at the moment. this, of course,
> > requires real-time networking.
> 
> From what I understand anyone can request a Myki card from their web
> site in without providing any form of ID.  You just have to provide a
> valid address where you want them to send the card.

address and credit card are more than enough to identify an individual.

an address alone is enough to identify an individual with reasonable
accuracy. connect the address with travel records and various databases
and information from "partner" web sites and companies, and that
accuracy becomes nearly certain.


> In theory the government could use realtime CCTV to identify people
> and link them with their Myki cards when they're touched-on at some

CCTV could also be used but it would rarely be required. CCTV is
generally of abysmally poor quality and not really useful for
identifying people except for confirmation of an already-suspected ID
(e.g drivers license photo)


> I'm not sure how they would possibly determine "where you are at the
> moment".  Not with any accuracy or reliability.

with real-time networking, they know where and when the card was used.
they know where you got on the tram/train/bus, whether you got off or
not, and where you got off.  They can make predictions on your current
activities based on the recorded history of your movements and by
cross-referencing you in other (marketing etc) databases (e.g. they can
take a pretty good guess at knowing when you're at home or at work).
they can deduce a lot about you by recording your routine travelpatterns
and especially your occasional deviations from the routine.

obviously, they can't track you when you're not on PT. not yet, anyway.
not until they start using it as a cash card and myki readers start
getting installed in shops, cinemas, pubs, etc.


> If someone has a particular reason for their destination to be unknown
> they could choose to not touch-off.  Only relatively few stations have
> barriers to stop people exiting without touching off.  Those people
> would just need to weigh up the inconvenience of being charged the
> full fare (for not touching-off) and versus possibly increased
> privacy.

and by taking special precautions to avoid being tracked, they'll just
make themselves stand out of from the crowd and thus become far easier
to track.

> It will still be possible to fare evade, particularly in the outer
> suburban areas, and on trams, especially during peak.

fare evasion is not the reason for desiring privacy.


> Finally, arguably anyone not wanting their travel habits potentially
> monitored (by anyone, not just the government) probably shouldn't be
> using public transport.

great attitude there - anyone not wanting to be spied upon constantly
should just retire from modern civilisation (except they can't. it's not
possible these days).

craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>