RFID tags and privacy

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2003 06:31:17 -0400
> From: Alexandros Papadopoulos <apapadop () cmu edu>
>
>
> On Sunday 20 July 2003 18:10, Dave Farber wrote:
> > >Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2003 17:55:51 -0400
> >
> > From: "Ronald L. Rivest" <rivest () mit edu>
> <snip>
> > >There is another way to approach this problem, however:
> > >leave the RFID tag alone, but provide "blocker" RFID tags
> > >to consumers that can selectively block readers from reading
> > >any chip on the consumer's person.  Such blocker chips can
> > >be built cheaply---they only need to interfere with the
> > >"singulation" protocol that readers use to address each
> > >RFID chip individually in turn.  By giving consumers the
> > >ability to block unwanted readers from reading their RFID
> > >tags, as well as allowing consumers to "kill" their RFID tags,
> > >one may be able to provide consumers with sufficient
> > >control over how their RFID tags are used to allow implementation
> > >of acceptable privacy policies.
>
> I didn't read the report, and I'm not knowledgeable at all in this field
> anyway. Nevertheless, I see a classic "trap" being laid for consumers. It's
> called "opt-out".
>
> We have seen it fail with cookies. We have seen it fail with 
> telemarketing. We
> have seen it fail with spam. We have seen it fail with food warning labels.
>
> All systems in which John Doe can be harassed, tricked, harmed in any way,
> unless he/she takes decisive action to change it, are against the public
> good. Such systems leave consumers at the mercy of corporate propaganda and
> selective (dis)information by the media.
>
> Why should I opt-out of 24/7 global surveillance? I dare someone to claim 
> with
> a straight face that five years from now, we will have a free choice to use
> RFIDs or block them. RFIDs will become the ultimate mandatory means of
> identification, and anyone refusing to use RFID will automatically be on a
> "bad citizen - suspected terrorist" list.
>
> Hasn't Gillmore taught us anything?
>
> -A
> --
> http://andrew.cmu.edu/~apapadop/pub_key.asc
> 3DAD 8435 DB52 F17B 640F  D78C 8260 0CC1 0B75 8265

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