From: Michael Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Date: Sat Jun 27 1998 - 10:34:34 MDT
VirgilT7@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 6/26/98 5:44:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> retroman@together.net writes:
>
> << Oh yes they can. Credit card and debit card purchases directly access
> nationwide
> financial databases. Authorities have the ability to put 'sniffers' on these
> systems to track people by their purchase locations. This applies to hotels,
> restaurants, etc. In fact, my bank was able to track me down while I was on
> vacation last month to notify me of an account problem. Its kind of odd to
> get a
> phone call from your personal banker while having after dinner
> coffee......500
> miles away from home.... I shiver at the thought that some government fascist
> might track me down and drag me away merely by my participation in the
> economy.
> >>
>
> No, you missed the point of that part of the article. The author didn't mean
> track as in note when and where you used your government ID card (since the
> government would OF COURSE be aware of when and where you used it, presumably,
> excluding the use of it for entrance into clubs or such) but meant that the
> government could actually track your movements even when you didn't use it.
Given smart card technology, this too will become possible. I happen to know one
of the pioneers in this technology, he founded Automated Payment Systems, Inc., in
Seattle. The systems they sold were primarily for use in parking and subway/bus
system payments, but the technology is easily transferrable to everyday use for
all financial transactions, and in its present form can be used for tracking
people through public spaces. These cards have a chip in them, and a small radio
transmitter. Unlike some other systems that you need to swipe your card through,
these cards have a range of several feet, such that you could have your parking
card in your wallet, drive through the turnstile, and be charged without ever
taking out your wallet. This technology will be easily usable for tracking with
the wide installation of sensors that can interface with this card. Not only
could such technology be used for tracking you, but if you are deemed a threat to
public safety, the powers that be could easily seize the financial assets in your
card's chip, making you helpless and easily picked up...
Fortunately, my freind was also working on card technology he calls a 'ghost'
card, that allows you to pass through undetected....
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:49:14 MST