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Olympic Tickets Contain Microchip With Your Data

Posted by kdawson on from the what-has-identity-to-do-with-intent dept.

OMNIpotusCOM writes "Tickets to the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies will contain a microchip with information about the ticket holder, including a photograph, passport details, addresses, e-mail, and telephone numbers. The stated intent is to keep troublemakers out of the 91,000-seat National Stadium so that they cannot cause disruptions while China is on world-wide television, but it brings up serious concerns for privacy and identity theft."

10 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. Oh the irony. by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Insightful

    .. it brings up serious concerns for privacy and identity theft. Coming from a nation that brings up serious concerns for pretty much every other human right I can think of, this comes as no surprise.
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    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    1. Re:Oh the irony. by Brian+Gordon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      How is this irony? How can you possibly go to China and not expect these sort of massive privacy/rights violations?

    2. Re:Oh the irony. by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Insightful

      ow can you possibly go to China and not expect these sort of massive privacy/rights violations? Because for a second people might be thinking China might at least try to be nice for a change, at least to foreigners with whom they might want to do business.
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      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  2. Just wait this is only the first by arthurpaliden · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually the real scarry thing is that if it works there then we are sure to see it used in other venues where security is a consern such as the World Cup (Soccer).

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    Undetectable Steganography? Yep, there's an app fo
  3. I don't see the problem by Phantombrain · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't see the problem with this. It's not like China has ever has taken advantage of technology to control people there. There aren't any stories of people being arrested just for disagreeing with the government. There aren't any human rights issues in China.

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    echo YOUR_OPINION > /dev/null
  4. Re:Inevitable by mrbluze · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So, while the natives are doing their sacrificial dance around the flame and we sit in the big cauldron, we should remain informed and alert, fully aware of what's happening as the hairy guy in the funny hat puts the flaming torch at the base and we start enjoying a terminal hot bath, knowing full well that Tarzan will come and save us?

    Life's no Hollywood movie. People DO get boiled in cauldrons and we ARE screwed unless we act. Being alert and informed isn't enough.

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    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  5. Those pesky troublemakers, eh? by Attaturk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The stated intent is to keep troublemakers out of the 91,000-seat National Statdium so that they cannot cause disruptions while China is on world-wide television, but it brings up serious concerns for privacy and identity theft.

    I'd say it also brings up pretty serious concerns about the various definitions and interpretations of the word "troublemaker". Perspective is a wonderful thing - until they take it from you. ;)
  6. China does not have to be nice. by arthurpaliden · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So long as everyone wants to buy cheap stuff at WalMart, the foreigners will not care about the human rights record of China only that they saved 'all this money' buying stuff they do not need with money they do not have.

    --
    Undetectable Steganography? Yep, there's an app fo
  7. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by pythonist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You tell the foreign side of story. I will tell you from the Chinese side. As a Chinese, I don't see any problem neither. As long as I buy tickets using my credit card, my info is already there. Ticket contain my name in DB is not a problem at all. We can tolerate some level of privacy violation for safty reason, just as Americans can tolerate tight security check in airport. Check in Chinese airpot is like a joke before recently for Olympics but we dont' think it has anything to do with freedom. We simply don't need such security level before Olympics. Foreigners simply don't understand the way Chinese people do things --- we don't deem personal freedom in No.1 priority and there are many things more important to our value system such as family and social harmonious. PS. I'm new to writing here so If someone tell me how to paragraphing I will appreciate much.

  8. Re:Well That's It by Porsche917K · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sod the PRC. If it's been done once, I'd bet good money on exactly the same system being used in London in 2012, too.

    Yay.