In message <199312091906.TAA22687@an-teallach.com> gtoal@an-teallach.com writes:
Apparently the Natwest Bank (or some spoonerism thereof) announced today that they were releasing digital cash in the form of some sort of smartcard. I have no more details - does anyone else?
I saw this a few days ago in the Guardian. Big front page splash, and lots of radio coverage. The system is called "Mondex". I'm looking into it, myself, as I know about as much as you do. Midlands Bank is cooperating in the scheme, which is not surprising, as they already have shared-ATM agreements.
Primarily I'm interested in knowing if it's *anonymous* digital cash - knowing our govt, I suspect it's unlikely to be. Any new opportunities to track the masses are always gratefully received by the powers that be...
Interestingly, none of the press coverage even mentioned the *issue* of privacy. I've told Tom Burroughes at the East Anglian Daily Times (tom@reptile.demon.co.uk); he's deputy chief reporter there, and was a speaker at ECFP '93. He's looking into it now; if you wish to speak to him, call 0473-230-023 and ask for him in the newsroom. He may be out, as he's also chief court and legal reporter, but he always calls back. I'll be calling Australia in a few minutes to see if I can raise Simon Davies, who's out there on business. Simon (davies@privint.demon.co.uk) is director of Privacy International, and was another ECFP speaker... the most well-connected privacy advocate I've ever met.
G
-- Russell Earl Whitaker whitaker@eternity.demon.co.uk Communications Editor AMiX: RWhitaker EXTROPY: The Journal of Transhumanist Thought Board member, Extropy Institute (ExI) Co-organizer, 2nd European Conference on Computers, Freedom and Privacy, London, October 1994