Privacy vs. Security: Biometric E-Passports

ftblguy writes "Countries such as the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, US, Australia, and New Zealand are currently looking into adding RFID chips to citizens' passports. The chips would contain data such as a digital image of the person's face. A real-time facial scan of the carrier of the passport would then be matched to the data encoded in the chip. But privacy advocates such as CASPIAN are concerned that this data could get into the hands of the wrong people or that governments could use the data to track their citizens as they go about their personal business. But, with all of the terrorist threats lately, bringing passport documents into the digital world is sure to increase security."

Comments

digital != greater security

[tpgp]

bringing passport documents into the digital world is sure to increase security."

Surely noone believes that do they? Why?

Digital is inherently easier to copy then analogue - I think this would decrease security.

This is insane

[t_allardyce]

Ok ive RTFA and it doesn't explain anywhere why these things need RFID. There's absolutely no reason for it! Sticking all this information on standard 'smart-cards' would be just as effective (well i don't know how effective or what its really supposed to do anyway but it would produce the same effect). In the article it just says these are designed to only operate up to 10cm (we all know what that means) but 10cm is still enough for someone to scan your back pocket! The only possible argument is that the contacts on chips wear out and people are too lazy to stick their cards in a reader! That's not an argument. So the only thing we can conclude is:

the people in charge of this are:
a) totally stupid
b) totally ignorant
c) getting a buy 1bn get 1bn free deal on RFID
d) designing this so they can scan people without their knowledge

take your pick.

Huh?

[ScrewMaster]

But, with all of the terrorist threats lately, bringing passport documents into the digital world is sure to increase security.

Surely this is a troll. Surely.

The question is not whether this will increase security. It won't, of course, since America is a goldfish bowl with too many ways in and no way to control them all. Terrorists are perfectly willing to spend years and millions of dollars (pounds, rubles, whatever) planning each operation and they will find a way in. And I wouldn't be surprised to find this kind of embedded RFID system get hacked and be readily available on the underground market. At some point the things will need to be programmed, and if nothing else a supply of blank cards and a programmer will be obtained from whoever makes them. I mean, come on, black-market Social Security cards can be found and some of them are apparently indistinguishable from the real thing because they are the real thing. It's called an "inside job."

The real question is: from whom must we be secured? And why? I've yet to see any rational discourse on the subject from the OHS or any of the other government organs involved that really makes the case that these devices (or any other form of technologically advanced tracking of the citizenry) will help in the (ahem) "War on Terrorism." The net effect will be to inconvenience and incarcerate some number of ordinary citizens who haven't a terrorist bone in their bodies while the real nut jobs use their hacked RFID's to walk right through airport security.

England has spent an incredible amount of money in wiring their country with video cameras. The justification for this "investment" (and I use the term loosely) was to catch terrorists. Well, the camera network has certainly helped in apprehending purse snatchers and other petty thieves but things are still getting blown up over there, so one wonders just how effective it really is. Were heading down the same road, and when all is said and done ... will it catch enough terrorists to matter? Will it catch any? And will our society still be recognizably "free" at that point?