Smartcards are coming to the US

[Moltar Ramone]

On Sun, 21 Apr 1996, Alan Olsen wrote:

> At 03:15 PM 4/21/96 -0400, Brad Dolan wrote:
> >Saw a CNN story Friday about an interesting special debit card 
> >application in Mexico.  They're being issued to poor Mexicans, who can 
> >use them to buy tortillas and a few other foodstuffs.  The cards are tied to 
> >a behavior-control database and failure to send kids to school, get 
> >mandatory medical exams/treatments/vaccinations, etc. results in card 
> >deactivation.
> 
> Interesting method of social control.  "Do anything we don't like and we
> revoke your ability to spend money through government approved outlets."
> 
> What a Brave New World we live in...

I had read it rather differently: "Do what we want and we'll give you 
food and maybe some other essentials."

One can argue about the government's right to do this, the source of the 
money, etc. But if private charity or industry had chosen to do this, 
we'd probably look on it rather differently.

It's still scary, though; sometimes smart cards are too smart.

Jon Lasser
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