ACLU: NJ Alert! Personal Data Chip in DL! (fwd)

[Julian Assange]

Forwarded message:
>From notes at igc.org  Tue Jul  9 15:12:01 1996
Date: Mon, 08 Jul 1996 19:48:10 -0700 (PDT)
Reply-To: Moderator of conference "justice.polabuse" <bwitanek at igc.apc.org>
From: Bob Witanek <bwitanek at igc.apc.org>
Subject: ACLU: NJ Alert! Personal Data Chip in DL!
To: Recipients of pol-abuse <pol-abuse at igc.apc.org>
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Posted:  sspnj at exit109.com

                         *Computer Chips in Driver Licenses?*

NEWARK, N.J. -- The Associated Press reported today that drivers
may soon be using a new high-tech driver's license to pay tolls and
do banking in New Jersey. The soon to be tested  "Smart Card" will
carry a data packed computer chip that will provide authorities
with access to private information including fingerprints and
medical records.

The pilot cards will be limited to standard driver's license
information. By the time the cards are issued to all New Jersey
drivers in July 1997, they would also contain fingerprints and an
"electronic purse" to be used to pay bus and train fares, the AP
said.

Civil libertarians said the new licenses raise privacy concerns. 
 Ultimately, the AP said, the license will contain arrest records,
medical records, vehicle registration, and could be used as a debit
card to pay for groceries and do banking.

"I think citizens should be extremely scared about loss of
privacy," David Rocah of the New Jersey ACLU told AP. "They could
store tax data. They could store medical data. They could store
driver's records, insurance data, virtually any data in the
government's possession."

The ACLU also warned that the potential for misuse of the
information --government surveillance or telemarketing research -
- could pose potential problems.
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-- 
"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely  exercised for the good of its victims  
 may be the most  oppressive.  It may be better to live under  robber barons  
 than  under  omnipotent  moral busybodies,  The robber baron's  cruelty may  
 sometimes sleep,  his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who  
 torment us for own good  will torment us  without end,  for they do so with 
 the approval of their own conscience."    -   C.S. Lewis, _God in the Dock_ 
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