Yeah, I know it's not about crypto but it sure is about privacy ... 1984 COMES ONE DECADE LATE July 12, 1994 On CBS News tonight, the lead story announced a government plan to require all of us to carry a national identity card. This card will contain your picture, a fingerprint, your social security number, and other "electronically encoded" information. You will be required to present this card to obtain employment or "receive government services." CA Governor Pete Wilson and Sen. Alan Simpson were featured explaining how this was a really great idea, necessary to "stop illegal immigration." Prediction If Americans accept this, as I expect they will, we will see the following: Cops doing card-scan roadblocks, ostensibly to find drunks and immigrants. A requirement to present your card and have a computer record kept after every financial transaction over, say, $100. A requirement to present your card to get medical care. Adoption of these cards as drivers' licenses. Just a magnetic / electronic data entry to indicate if you are authorized to drive. Same thing for professional licenses. Card-scan to buy guns or ammunition - if you are allowed to buy them at all. Card-scan to buy potentially subversive tools, chemicals, books. Card-scan on entry to or exit from the U.S. Instant database check to see if you are authorized to enter or leave the U.S. Card-scan on entry to or exit from "special" areas: an extra little security check before you enter places the government is taking an extra interest in. Mandatory presentation of card to get access to an internet- attached computer account. Card-scan at your kids' school. Linked databases of parents and kids, to correlate child support payments, vaccination histories, academic performance, truancy, antisocial attitudes, you name it. I could go on, but why bother? As an exercise for the reader: The federal government currently is encouraging states to revoke drivers licenses and professional licenses of "bad" people who use drugs, drive drunk, don't pay child support, etc. What will happen to you in the future if you displease the state? Brad bdolan@well.sf.ca.us