RFID tags sneak into public libraries [priv]

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

---

To: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Subject: RFID Move Into Public Library
X-Hash-House-Harriers: Are You?
Comment: Are you fer us or a guinness?
From: Small Grey <munge () attrition org>
X-Home-Page: http://www.attrition.org/~munge/
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 21:17:07 -0400
Message-ID: <59fzhnqtik.fsf () forced attrition org>

I didn't notice this on Politech

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<URL:http://www.eweek.com/article2/0%2c4149%2c1307774%2c00.asp>

RFID Moves into Public Library
By Roy Harris, Associated Press Writer
October 3, 2003


SAN FRANCISCO (AP).A civil liberties watchdog group is expressing
concern over the San Francisco Public Library's plans to track books
by inserting computer chips into each tome.

ADVERTISEMENT

Library officials approved a plan Thursday to install tiny radio
frequency identification chips, known as RFIDs, into the roughly 2
million books, CDs and audiovisual materials patrons can borrow. The
system still needs funding and wouldn't be ready until at least 2005.

The microchips send out electromagnetic wave to a device that converts
them to digital data containing a host of information. In libraries,
the system is primarily designed to locate books in branches and speed
up the checkout process.

Library officials say the "passive" chips would be deactivated as
materials are taken from the library, thus preventing any stealth
tracking of books _ and by extension, people _ off premises.

But Lee Tien, a staff lawyer for the Electronic Frontier Foundation,
is concerned that the chips may have information that would remain
accessible and trackable, whether by ingenious hackers or law
enforcement subpoena. That, he says, would be a threat to privacy
rights.

"If there's a technology for temporary deactivation, then presumably
there's a system for reactivating it," Tien said. "Does the person
have the ability to know if the RFID is on or off?"

Some of the foundation's concerns are rooted in the provisions of the
USA Patriot Act, which critics have assailed as giving government the
authority to obtain the records and threatening the privacy and First
Amendment rights of library and bookstore patrons.

San Francisco's city librarian, Susan Hildreth, says the devices will
help streamline inventory and prevent loss. Tracking people is not the
goal, she insisted.

"It will not allow us to track people to their home or any location,"
Hildreth said.

She pointed out that several other major libraries, including the
Seattle public library system, are moving to the chips instead of bar
codes.

"Industry trends show that it's going to replace the bar code very
shortly," Hildreth said. "We're trying to prepare for the future."

Seattle's 24 libraries are installing RFID tracking systems, with the
first to be ready next spring.

The city of Santa Clara is installing RFID tracking at its main
library and the county is considering a similar move.

Still, it's the opportunity for unauthorized tracking that concerns
Tien.

"The issue is other people, other institutions. What will they do if
the RFID is insecure?" Tien said. "We're talking about the imbedding
of location trafficking devices into the social fabric."

Hildreth said San Francisco library officials may hold a public forum
to discuss the chips further.
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