New York Issues RFID-Encoded Drivers Licenses

JagsLive passes along the intelligence that New York has become the second state to issue drivers licenses with RFID tags (Washington was the first). The new "enhanced drivers licenses" cost $30 more than the old ones. They can be used instead of a passport for entry into the US by land or sea (not air) from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Authorities say no personal information will be stored or transmitted by the chip, only an ID number that will be meaningless to anyone but DHS. Citizens of New York who prefer not to carry an identifying RFID chip can still get an old-style license.

Comments

optional for how long?

[ruggerboy]

Reminds me of how several years ago blackberries used to be "optional" for associates at my law firm, and there was even a waitlist. That is until partners realized just how effective they were at keeping tabs on exactly where we were and what we were doing at all hours. Now they come standard issue with your welcome packet. Expect the same for new drivers pretty soon.

Hold on..

[aero2600-5]

"Citizens of New York who prefer not to carry an identifying RFID chip can still get an old-style license."

Wait a second here.. the RFID licenses are $30 more expensive than regular licenses, yet the residents have the option to get the cheaper RFID-free license? Who's going to choose to willingly pay more to be tracked more effectively?

Let me guess. The state isn't telling them that they can choose to get the cheaper older style of license? Brilliant!

Aero

You'd be Wrong

[mpapet]

1. All the talk about "tracking" is nonsense. An RFID anything has a range measured in inches normally. Stuff it in your wallet sandwiched in between more cards and it pretty much won't work.

2. $30 is about right after all is said and done. No one is getting rich making these cards. There's secure printing, personalization, etc.

3. What's the application though? If it is just border crossings, then do border crossings have the infrastructure to process a contactless card?

4. Accidentally leaving the card inside a microwave oven while you are warming coffee would harm the chip, so don't ever do that.

You are already being tracked

[mpapet]

Worrying about the tracking boogeyman is ridiculous.

I'm not sure why you labor under the illusion that your activities aren't tracked now. Most of your activity is in one way or another and then packaged and sold to any willing buyer including Government entities.

Credit Score? Tracking
Medical Records? This is a murky area, but I'm sure the U.S. health insurance co's would love to trade patient health scores. No. HIPPAA didn't outlaw this.
Communication? Done. FISA, Telcos, NSA, Etc.
Debit transations? Tracking.
Other finance tracking? Done. It's called taxes.

There's lots of worthy things to contribute your personal energy to. This isn't one of them.