It said on the leaflet thing that this is the 'new biometric passport and it holds a microchip and antenna', so does this mean it can track down where the passport is? I kind of wanted to flee the country... do you agree with it? Does it make you feel safer or not?
2007-03-29 01:26:04 · 10 answers · asked by floppity 7 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
does anyone know what the antenna is for?
2007-03-29 02:11:07 · update #1
It wouldn't make me feel safer. Good guys and bad guys have technology at their fingertips. Just wondering when they'll start the campaign to convince us to have the chips inserted in us.
2007-03-29 01:32:39 · answer #1 · answered by L 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
maybe this will help:
The U.S. Electronic Passport
The proposed U.S. Electronic Passport is the same as a regular passport with the addition of a small contactless integrated circuit (computer chip) embedded in the back cover. The chip will securely store the same data visually displayed on the photo page of the passport, and will additionally include a digital photograph. The inclusion of the digital photograph will enable biometric comparison, through the use of facial recognition technology at international borders. The U.S. “e-passport” will also have a new look, incorporating additional anti-fraud and security features.
Passports without chips will still be valid for the full extent of their validity period.
The Department of State Starts Issuing Tourist E-Passports
Electronic Passport Frequently Asked Questions
Security and Privacy of the e-Passport
Public Comments in the Federal Register on the Proposed Rule for the e-Passport
New Design for the U.S. e-Passport
This webpage will be updated as more information becomes available.
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2007-03-31 22:13:59 · answer #2 · answered by roundater 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, welcome to 1984 (a little late)
However, it's not that scary. The chip can only be read by a scanner within 10 centimeters. That means even if someone had a briefcase with a hidden scanner inside, it would be extemely unlikely he could read your data.
From the website below:
The RFID (radio frequency identification) chip in each passport will contain the same personal data as now appear on the inside pages - name, date of birth, place of birth, issuing office - and a digitized version of the photo. But the 64K chip will be read remotely. And there's the rub.
The scenario, privacy advocates say, could be as simple as you standing in line with your passport as someone walks by innocuously carrying a briefcase. Inside that case, a microchip reader could be skimming data from your passport to be used for identity theft. Or maybe authorities or terrorists want to see who's gathered in a crowd and surreptitiously survey your ID and track you. Suddenly, "The Matrix" looks less futuristic.
The State Department maintains that such scenarios are outright fiction.
"A person can't be tracked," says Kelly Shannon, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the State Department. "It's not as if the information is going to broadcast and anyone with a receiver can be picking up that signal. There isn't a signal."
2007-03-29 08:35:04 · answer #3 · answered by pachl@sbcglobal.net 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No, it can't be used to track you where ever you are :-)
It can be read remotely though, but only when the passport is very close to a reader.
There are concerns though about privacy and people being able to read the details off it. There was a report in the paper not long ago, about being being able to read details off passports sent out for delivery, without having to open the envelope.
The data is encrypted, but the encryption isn't too hard to break.
2007-03-29 08:35:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had a passport issued like this some months back and was advised that the chip' is to enable them to see where you have travelled to and locate you in any country via an international network. Personally I am all for it - we need to make our controls work and obviously they are not - so if this does then I am all for expanding the system to work for passport control throughout the world.
2007-03-29 11:32:39 · answer #5 · answered by deep in thought 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I've just got one too ... they're meant to help combat the threat of fraudulent passports and terrorism etc. It doesn't actually say so in the literature but i'm sure the passport agency will have information available to them from the chip i.e location!
Is it a breach of our human rights .... well, that's another poser isn't it!!!
2007-03-29 08:37:25 · answer #6 · answered by Smarty 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Big Brother Loves Us
2007-03-29 08:29:21 · answer #7 · answered by jackylberry 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
no the chip only has your details and picture on it so that it is faster and safer wen chekin in at an airport or sumfin like that all i no is that
IT ISNT A TRACKING DEVICE
hope that helpd jason
2007-03-29 08:33:13 · answer #8 · answered by jason d 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
it's got details of you on there such as a photo etc this way people cant steal it and cut and replace the photo to sell it on to immigrants.
2007-03-29 08:33:37 · answer #9 · answered by Jude 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Big Brother his watching you.
2007-03-29 08:29:31 · answer #10 · answered by richard_beckham2001 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋