Senators Eyeing "High-Tech, Fraud-Proof" National ID Card

03-23-2010 • Wired.com

“We would require all U.S. citizens and legal immigrants who want jobs to obtain a high-tech, fraud-proof Social Security card. Each card’s unique biometric identifier would be stored only on the card; no government database would house everyone’s information,” they said. “The cards would not contain any private information, medical information or tracking devices. The card would be a high-tech version of the Social Security card that citizens already have.” Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute, suggests the plan would undoubtedly lead to a national database. He added that “there is no practical way of making a national identity document fraud-proof.” What’s more, Richard Esguerra, the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s in-house activist, notes that a national ID card likely would expand from its stated purpose. “Because of the ID card’s proposed universality, it will likely be requested and required by airlines, insurance agencies, health care providers, mortgage lenders, credit card companies, and so forth,” he said. And this so-called mission creep is no fantasy.

4 Comments in Response to Senators Eyeing "High-Tech, Fraud-Proof" National ID Card

Comment by Ken Valentine

Entered on: 3/24/2010 9:13:46 PM

My Socialist Security card says, "For tax purposes only, not to be used for identification."

My, how times have changed.

Shortly before his death, my father (who was blinded on Iwo Jima) said, "All the things we fought against in World War II, our own government is doing to us today."

Comment by Trouser Chili

Entered on: 3/23/2010 9:02:17 PM

Ha. Yeah the social security card we already have.

Nobody carries those around anymore because if its lost or stolen, you are TOAST.

And those social security cards were SUPPOSED to be just little keepsakes to let you know you were enrolled in this wizzy program. Just like the drivers licenses were SUPPOSED only to show you were skilled enough to drive a car.

The high-tech fraud-proof card will be cracked within a week. People will demonstrate how you can read it from across the street and use the data to program your own fraud-proof ID card. I guarantee it.

Give them an inch and they'll take a light year.

Comment by Nick Saorsa

Entered on: 3/23/2010 8:43:18 PM

I LOVE it when someone calls something "fraud proof" !! Like DVDs encryption? Like Blu Ray's encryption? Like GSM encryption? Like anything that ever existed ever and for always? Yep.

Comment by RickStone

Entered on: 3/23/2010 6:19:53 PM

Five seconds in the microwave and it will not work anymore. Problem solved.

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