In today’s article, Bruce posits that the reason that the U.S. government wants RFID tags in passports is precisely because they want to be able to surveil from a distance. I’m pretty sure this would mostly just make it a little easier, but his point is that not only could the government see who you are from a distance but so could anyone else with a RFID reader. Bwaaahahhhhhaaaa scary!!!! 🙂

Schneier on Security: Does Big Brother Want to Watch?

October 04, 2004
Does Big Brother Want to Watch?

Since the terrorist attacks of 2001, the Bush administration–specifically, the Department of Homeland Security–has wanted the world to agree on a standard for machine-readable passports. Countries whose citizens currently do not have visa requirements to enter the United States will have to issue passports that conform to the standard or risk losing their nonvisa status.