WAR: U.S. will soon add computer chips to passports

The U.S. starting next year will begin issuing passports that contain an embedded microchip in its cover and pages. The chip will be able to be read from as much as 30 feet away. Several groups are opposed to this as it would allow anybody with a reader to attain the information. It also could allow terrorist to specifically target Americans. The concerns about this have also been raised by Canada, Germany and Britain.





The Bush administration according to some articles on his matter have rejected requests that would add layers of protection and security to this undertaking. I have huge concerns about this and if enacted its really only a matter of time before other identifications will carry this. Imagine not even getting pulled over for a traffic violation. A reader in the pavement calculated your speed and issues a citation. It is already known in California that the bridge toll transponders called Fast Trak can already calculate progress. This bears some watching

That is not surprize, I just hope the older ones will stay usefull, mine is good till 2008!

I better get refund or something, trade in at least.

I can see it now, we wanter close to the customs station and it flags us as ATS staff. Body cavity serch starts blinking on the console of the agent. Goes down hill from there

[edit on 11/28/04 by FredT]

Any idea as to what measures are (if) currently in use on the passports? We just recieved a new first time issue passport just yesterday...via USPS. My own is about to expire, thanks for the tip, FredT, as I will quickly renew.

Am I not reading this right? How would a terrorist even have a device that would read the info off the chips.For the most part, the way the system works would be classified to the general public, recreating a device to read the chips would be costly if not impossible.I think it would make spotting fake passports very easy.As no one could improperly enter the US without it being issued a proper passport by our goverment.Making such chips would be hard for a third world country, where most if not all terrorists are from.Anyway, it seems impractical that terrorists would even bother as it would waste already dwindling funds.

Thought. What if they don't want to put any layers of protection/security in them because it would also serve as a form of mind control!!!

This does scare me. That we are once again getting a piece of personal freedom takin away. Makes you wonder where "the home of the free"
went to.Cuz I'm not seein very many freedoms left here.

Originally posted by LordBaskettIV
Am I not reading this right? How would a terrorist even have a device that would read the info off the chips.For the most part, the way the system works would be classified to the general public, recreating a device to read the chips would be costly if not impossible.

I think you may be overestimating technology a little. Technology available to the public could be modified reasonably easily, in my opinion anyway.

I think it would make spotting fake passports very easy.As no one could improperly enter the US without it being issued a proper passport by our goverment.Making such chips would be hard for a third world country, where most if not all terrorists are from.Anyway, it seems impractical that terrorists would even bother as it would waste already dwindling funds.

These passports are for American citizens only, foreign passports would not have the chip. "Terrorists" could still enter the country as visitors on foreign passports. Now for the conspiracy side, how long before these passports must be carried at all times, thus allowing scanners to be used as you walk down the street to check your identity. Scanners on buildings that record your location. I know that these kind of projects are designed (or so we are told) to increase safety and security, but it still makes me worry a little.

[edit on 28-11-2004 by Kriz_4]

With current thechnology it is possible for a device small enuff to be on a page in a passport to be tracked by satalite and not be noticed to the person who has the device.
I also do think this needs some watching. I dont know if I really want all my movements to be watched by some governing body, or even curious tech geeks who have the device just for thrills.
I knew this was going to happen at some point. It seems it is just starting with passports.

I just got my passport this year so unless they change the rules
and make us get new ones I should be good until 2014

As far as it stands right now there will be no encryption for your data
but that may change before the rollout and as far as being tracked
by a satellite you would need some sort of power source to be tracked
by satellite. Right now the power needed to get the data from the chip
comes from the machine that reads it so in order to have things read
you have to come within 15-30 feet of the chip reader. In order for a satellite
to work you would have to have a transciever of some sort so that the satellite
could tell that (A) it was a specifically addressed signal and (B) that the
satellite and the signal source could talk so unless they are going to be handing out passports with the page thickness of 4 credit cards we won't be seeing any satellite tracking issues yet.

If they start sending them home with a charger then that is when you have to worry, besides if you have a cell phone then you can already be tracked..
as long as the phone is turned on.

geo

[edit on 11/28/2004 by geocom]

Originally posted by geocom
I just got my passport this year so unless they change the rules
and make us get new ones I should be good until 2014

Don't be surprised if the issue a recall to get all those old one compliant. It makes sence from a ssecurity standpoint and enforcement would be difficult. Legacy passports would create a potential security risk. Why conterfiet the new ones when the old ones would be good for another decade?

They are going to use RFID. So you should be able to wrap foil around your passport when you do not need it to avoid snoopers.

What in the heck is going on, they what to put ships now on anything here in the US, from implants in our bodies to national IDs and now chips on our passports?

Give me a brake we are turning into the bionic nation. All we need is a big reg mark on our foreheads that said "Yes I am an American so target me"

What happened with the body scan and the eye and face recognition scans?

Originally posted by cryptorsa1001
They are going to use RFID. So you should be able to wrap foil around your passport when you do not need it to avoid snoopers.

I can see a cottage industry in lead line Coach passport holders. However, Ill bet money that by making your passport unreadable in that manner, you make yourself a target for a little up close and perfsonal time with a sniffer dog and some dude with gloves that asks questions and goes through your suitcase if you are lucky, if your unlucky, bear and grin it

As soon as these trackable passports some out, there will be some special envelope to prevent scans. It will take years for these to be effective anyway, as many people already have a passport. I'll happily renew mine before these chips come out and have a nice 10 year chip free cushion.

I did have a little passport mishap once at Philadelphia International Airport that might have been made easier by a chip... I went through customs in the US back from an international flight, and the guy checking my passport was asking more questions than usual. I answered them all completely and courteously and he kept giving me the weirdest looks. So then he grabs a big red envelope, slides my passport into it, and directs me to a room over to the side. I walk in and have a seat, and there is utter chaos around me. Women arguing in Spanish with armed guys behind a counter, crying... Anyway, about 10 mins later, the guy behind the desk yells "IS ANYONE IN THIS ROOM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN? COME HERE." So I go up to the desk and he snatches my passport away, and starts with the questions - when did I leave, from where, where did I go, why, did I meet with anyone, etc. I answer as humbly as possible. They had no record of me leaving the country or my return on a flight. I had copies of my tickets out and in and my itenerary in my bags along with a photo of my drivers license which were being scrutinized. A few other guard types come over and one happens to look at my name and says "Oh Sarah Jackson... Hmm.. I think I deleted her by mistake. Woops. I had a Rachel Jackson earlier. She's cool." So 40 mins later, I'm declared "cool" and I can walk on out and meet my ride. I always wondered what would have happened if Guard #2 didn't happen to walk up to check out the scene. I'd still take all that over an electronic chip anyday.

Geocom,
As the tracking with a chip implanted in a page. Something similar has been done for many years, as I saw on a news program some years back. Some bunsisses have been implanting chips in there company ID badges. They are constantly tracked where ever they go. Weather it be the bathroom, office, or after work to a club, where ever they take the ID badge. The same has been done to track troubled teen agers by there parrents. The tracking device can be put into a pellet small enuff to be implanted under the skin. I said to be tracked by satalite, that might have been a missunderstanding on my part, but the point is they were being tracked with a device small enuff to be on a credit card size object, or in one case under the skin. So that can also be done on page of a passport.