E-Passport In the Works

ExE122 writes "In an attempt to curb falsification of passports, the United States has placed an order for millions of embedded ID chips. 'The chips carry an encrypted digital photograph of the passport holder. The chip is designed to be read by a special device that will be used by U.S. government workers who check passports when travelers come through border crossings. The State Department began issuing what are being called e-passports to tourists last week and will gradually increase production. State Department spokeswoman Janelle Hironimus said existing passports will remain valid until they expire but, eventually, all U.S. passports — about 13 million will be issued in 2006 — will contain such chips.'"

Comments

I blame it on the lack of logic today

[MikeRT]

One of the things that is a lot more common today than it has been in American history, yes, even back in the "bumpkin days" of America pre-industrialization, is that people just don't critically think anymore. "Special device?" Anyone with a modicum of critical thinking skills would look at a few simple things and freak:

1) All computer security systems have been defeated.
2) This is kinda like one of them thar computer security systems that has been defeated.
3) I'm carrying this thing around the world, and any schmo who can defeat it, can identify me faster than the police can.
4) There are a lot of terrorists and terrorism sympathizers who'd just love to off me because I'm American.

If you aren't careful, you'll be broadcasting enough info out there that you'll be easily victimized.

Heh heh

[rice_burners_suck]

I bet there won't be a device in existance that can actually read the chip that will be embedded in these passports. I say that because my Permanent Resident card (greencard) is supposedly the most advanced ID card ever made, with all kinds of weird embedded information and whatnot, making it impossible to counterfeit. Or at least that's the theory, because although they spend ridiculous amounts of money to make these cards contain all that personal information, there is reportedly not a machine in existance that can read the information off the card. Typical government nonsense. It's like trying to invent the modem with enough funds to build just one.

And if we're already on the subject of the government, why are they spending all this money to make sure passports can't be faked, greencards can't be faked, etc., if there is absolutely positively nothing being done to stop the flood of immigrants, criminals, drugs, and terrorists that are crossing our totally unprotected borders into this country every day? Every time this issue comes up, idiots say it's racism. Sorry, it's not racism to stop people and things that shouldn't be here illegally from coming here illegally.

Re:Americans traveling to other countries.

[clickclickdrone]

I used to find the low number of Americans with passports rather scary and insular until someone pointed out you only get 2 weeks vacation a year. With the US being so big and varied, it would take you most of your life in 2 week chunks to check out home let alone foreign places.
Of course, us backwards wierdo liberal faggy Europeans get 6 weeks holiday :-)