School uses RFID to keep track of students

By , on 10 February, 2005

Calif. school requires radio ID tags for students

SUTTER, Calif. – The only grade school in this rural town is requiring students to wear radio frequency identification badges that can track their every move. Some parents are outraged, fearing it will rob their children of privacy.

The short gist of the article is that a . . . → Read More: School uses RFID to keep track of students

45 comments   Privacy    

Please Don’t Smile

By , on 13 December, 2004

In the process of renewing my passport, I came across an interesting development within the State Department.  It seems that many Americans have been entirely too happy as of late and they want to change that.  Actually, they are just changing the guidelines for identification photos.  As of January 1st, passport photos that portray a . . . → Read More: Please Don’t Smile

6 comments   Privacy, Technology   ,  

Color laser printers include the unit’s serial number on every printout.

By , on 23 November, 2004

Here’s something I didn’t know before now, but it explains a lot: Apparently all color laser devices—printers, copiers, etc.—sold since 1995 have been encoding their serial number into every printout made from them so counterfeit documents can be traced by the government back to the source.

Peter Crean, a senior research fellow at Xerox, says . . . → Read More: Color laser printers include the unit’s serial number on every printout.

3 comments   Privacy    

Privacy: Heat detecting equipment attached to plane for police surveillance.

By , on 29 October, 2004

Here is something of interest for those with concerns about privacy: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041029.wscoc1029/BNStory/National/ http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en/com/2004/html/04-10-29.3.wpd.html

This is a decision from Canada relating to the use of heat detecting equipment and whether or not such action runs afoul of the right to privacy and violates the reasonable expectation of privacy.

Basically the equipment is fixed to a . . . → Read More: Privacy: Heat detecting equipment attached to plane for police surveillance.

8 comments   Politics, Privacy   ,  

Big Brother puts the smack-down on citizens

By , on 11 October, 2004

Upon recommendation from the Sept. 11th commission, the US Congress has seen fit to establish something of a National ID Card system.  While the card won’t be issued at a federal level, it will require all the information including the ID Number to be standardized across the board.

Congress Close to Establishing Rules for . . . → Read More: Big Brother puts the smack-down on citizens

35 comments   Politics, Privacy   ,  

Anti-Spyware Bill passes the House

By , on 6 October, 2004

As my first attempt to post a story here at SEB, here is a story near and dear to my heart… [cross posted at my Asylum]

The Spy Act, an Anti-Spyware legislation passed this morning in the House of Representatives 399-1 — HR 2929 I believe is the version of this that passed.

The bill, . . . → Read More: Anti-Spyware Bill passes the House

10 comments   Computing, Politics, Privacy, Security   , , ,  

Welcome to life under the Patriot Act revisited.

By , on 14 July, 2004

Way back in December of 2002 I wrote a small entry on Nicholas and Mary Monahan and their run-in with airport security. I was appalled at their treatment to say the least. Now I get word that a fellow blogger has had a less outrageous, but still very upsetting encounter with Federal TSA screeners as . . . → Read More: Welcome to life under the Patriot Act revisited.

40 comments   Politics, Privacy, Rants   , ,  

The customer is always right… well, kinda.

By , on 7 July, 2004

Seems the old adage that “the customer is always right” may be losing it’s appeal among retailers fed up with what is known in the industry as “demon shoppers.” The folks at Best Buy, for example, are trying to find ways to better deal with problem shoppers that eat into their profits by taking advantage . . . → Read More: The customer is always right… well, kinda.

5 comments   Politics, Privacy   ,  

Transportation Security Administration officials may have lied over use of airline passenger data.

By , on 25 June, 2004

I’ve been following the developing story surrounding revelations that various airlines and travel agencies have secretly turned over sensitive passenger data to the Transportation Security Administration without the passenger’s knowledge or consent. TSA officials then lied about this to other government agencies and the public. Wired News has an article up about testimony from acting . . . → Read More: Transportation Security Administration officials may have lied over use of airline passenger data.

Leave a comment   Politics, Privacy   ,  

Trackable cash in your pocket?

By , on 2 March, 2004

I hadn’t heard about it becoming official, but if the following story is true then it appears that the U.S. Government has started inserting RFID tags into paper money. If you’ve not heard about RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, it’s a relatively new technology developed ostensibly to help stores prevent theft and track what was . . . → Read More: Trackable cash in your pocket?

11 comments   Privacy    
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