RFID chips in official IDs documents raise privacy fears

Run_to_da_hills

One can purchase a receiver for $190, adapt it in a car with an antenna and drive around scanning personal documents containing RFID from people even if they are disclosed and out of site from up to 20 feet away according to this article. :eek:

Putting a traceable RFID in every pocket has the potential to make everybody a blip on someone's radar screen, critics say, and to redefine Orwellian government snooping for the digital age.

Among new options are the chipped "e-passport," and the new, electronic PASS card credit-card sized, with the bearer's digital photograph and a chip that can be scanned through a pocket, backpack or purse from 30 feet. This would of the equivilant of the proposed National ID or the current Irish passport issued since October 2006 .

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/07/11/business/AP-US-Chipping-America-IV.html

GerardKeating

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

One can purchase a receiver for $190, adapt it in a car with an antenna and drive around scanning personal documents containing RFID from people even if they are disclosed and out of site from up to 20 feet away according to this article. :eek:

Putting a traceable RFID in every pocket has the potential to make everybody a blip on someone's radar screen, critics say, and to redefine Orwellian government snooping for the digital age.

Among new options are the chipped "e-passport," and the new, electronic PASS card credit-card sized, with the bearer's digital photograph and a chip that can be scanned through a pocket, backpack or purse from 30 feet. This would of the equivilant of the proposed National ID or the current Irish passport issued since October 2006 .

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/07/11/business/AP-US-Chipping-America-IV.html

But extreme ranges of these is about 20 centimetres (8 inches). They are mainly designed for less the 10 centimetres.

Also the data (at least with Credit Cards) is encrypted.