-------- Original Message -------- Subject: EFFector 17.11: EFF Opposes RFIDs in Passports Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 22:25:34 -0800 (PST) From: Effector List
EFFector Vol. 17, No. 11 March 31, 2004 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation ISSN 1062-9424 In the 283rd Issue of EFFector:
* EFF Opposes Radio Tracking Technology, Biometrics in Passports
* Let the Sun Set on PATRIOT - Sections 201 and 805
* EFF's Deep Links - The Weblog
* MiniLinks (16): Canada's Copyright Revolution: As Good As It Gets
* Staff Calendar: 04.06.04 - Fred von Lohmann speaks at Columbia
University Law School, New York, NY
* AdministriviaFor more information on EFF activities & alerts: <http://www.eff.org/>
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EFF Opposes Radio Tracking Technology, Biometrics in Passports
EFF joined Privacy International, the ACLU and other civil liberties organizations from all around the world this week in opposing a plan to embed radio frequency identification tags (RFIDs) in passports. The new passport standard, developed on behalf of world governments by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), would also include "biometric identifiers" such as facial maps, and, potentially, fingerprints.
Supported by the U.S and E.U. governments, the standard would ultimately create an electronic ID system on hundreds of millions of travelers. Despite serious implications for privacy and personal security, the ICAO process is occurring without public engagement or debate.
"In January 2004, when the U.S. began fingerprinting and face- scanning foreign visitors and storing this data for over 50 years under the US-VISIT program, many countries responded with alarm," said Dr. Gus Hosein, a senior fellow with Privacy International. "With the biometric passport, however, every country may have its own surveillance system, accumulating fingerprints and face-scans and keeping them for as long as they wish with no regard to privacy or civil liberties."
EFF signed an open letter asking the ICAO to reject the new standard unless or until the organization:
* Follows through on earlier promises to review the privacy
implications of biometrics and trans-border personal
information transfers;
* Releases clear and binding privacy requirements that will
reduce the risks of illegal collection, use, retention and
transfers of this information;
* Upholds national data protection laws or cultural practices,
as previously promised;
* Prevents, by design or biometric selection, the development
of biometric databases; and
* Evaluates fully the standard's privacy and surveillance
implications, as well as explores alternatives with less
potential for privacy invasion or other abuse by
surveillance agencies.Open letter to the ICAO: <http://www.eff.org/cgi/tiny?urlID=163> (Privacy International; PDF)
Privacy International media release: <http://www.eff.org/cgi/tiny?urlID=162> (Privacy International)
More information about RFIDs: <http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/RFID/>
-- Sandip Bhattacharya sandip (at) puroga.com Puroga Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Work: http://www.puroga.com Home: http://www.sandipb.net
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