(Image is in the Public Domain)

From the FTC website:

Notice for public comment: The Federal Identity Theft Task Force, chaired by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and co-chaired by Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras, is seeking public comment on ways to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of federal government efforts to reduce identity theft.

What could I tell them about? Hmm… Let's see… Oh! How about how easy it would be to reduce ID Theft with a good Credit Security Freeze law? How about how we desperately need strong, swift protection against data mining and sharing companies?

It's fairly simple really. First we need better control of our data and second, we need to limit what can be done with the data once it's been breached.

The e-mail address to write to is hidden in a document, so here it is "Taskforcecomments AT idtheft.gov" (@ replaced to prevent bot Spam). Be sure the subject is "Identity Theft Task Force" and that you include contact information. They prefer that the substance of your comments be in WordPerfect, MS Word or PDF format as an attachment.

Is there anything that doesn't have RFID anymore?

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EPIC reports that the Department of Homeland Security is creating a passport-like system that will be required for travelers between the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. This "passport" will contain RFID and very little security. From the article:

The federal government has been increasingly using RFID technology in its identification documents. The Department of Homeland security last year began using RFID-enabled I-94 forms in its United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology ("US-VISIT ") program to track the entry and exit of visitors.¹⁹ This year, the State Department began issuing RFID-enabled passports to U.S. citizens.²⁰ Only 23% of U.S. citizens have passports.²¹ Therefore, under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, U.S. citizens would have to carry either a passport, which costs $97 for first-time applicants, or a PASS card. As the proposed Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative PASS card, U.S. passport, and US-VISIT I-94 entry and exit forms all contain RFID chips, if the PASS card proposal is adopted, then all U.S. citizens carrying either a passport or PASS card and visitors entering the country through US-VISIT will be able to be tracked using RFID technology.

Because we really needed another way to be spied on...

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CNN posted an article about tiny transmitters embedded in some Canadian coins and planted on contractors with security clearance. From the article:

In a U.S. government warning high on the creepiness scale, the Defense Department cautioned its American contractors over what it described as a new espionage threat: Canadian coins with tiny radio frequency transmitters hidden insidee. Experts were astonished about the disclosure and the novel tracking technique...

Okaaaaay…. So, this is "creepy", and "novel"? First of all, coins can be given away very easily thus defeating the point of tracking the recipient. Second, the metal of the coin will inhibit the transmitters. Third, tracking technology already exists and is being used now. It's called rfid and it's already being put into our merchandise and even our clothes. Basically, it's much worse than coins.

(Image is in the Public Domain)

Schneier reports on a murder that was captured on a city camera system. He clearly thinks that such systems are pointless though the article seems to present it as being good (it caught a thief after all).

By using the worst possible scenario, however unlikely, it becomes easy to scare people into supporting something you personally want. When it comes to camera systems everywhere, remember this: absolute security can be acheived through absolute surveillance. This is true, but absolute surveillance also brings zero privacy and freedom.

Lab-grown meat is coming.

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Sixwise reports on the FDA approval of cloned meat and milk. Most notably, there will be no notification required. Quoted from the article:

"When they deny us mandatory labels, they don't just deny us the right to choose", said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety (CFS). "They also deny our health professionals the ability to trace potential toxic or allergic reactions to this food. It's bad enough they're making us guinea pigs. But when we have health effects, we won't be able to trace it."

I think the idea of lab-grown meat has a lot of potential, but there's no justification for trying to spring this on people in secret.

(Image is in the Public Domain)

According to EFF:

Colorado-based Ciber, Inc., the largest laboratory that tests software used in U.S. voting systems, has been temporarily banned from approving new systems following problems discovered last summer by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC).

The EAC found that Ciber was not following proper quality- control procedures and could not document that it was conducting all the required tests. Ciber's renewed petition for accreditation is currently under EAC review.

ID Theft is a problem. It's a shame no one is talking about the solution.

(Image is in the Public Domain)

EPIC reports in their newsletter that for the 6th year in a row, Identity Theft is the #1 consumer complaint for the year. It's interesting to know that despite the massive and growing problem, the Credit Freeze remedies that would greatly curb the problem aren't being made available to most people.

It's almost like they don't even know what they're doing.

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Schneier reports that the government will begin encrypting all laptops. This is in response to case after case of stolen laptops leading to loss of personal data such as in the case with the Veterans Administration.

Considering that the typical response is to offer worthless credit monitoring services to make it look like they're doing something when they're actually not, this is a welcome change. Now if only they'll hold employees accountable for keeping the key/token/passwords in the same bag with the laptop…

Sony literally hacked US citizens and got a slap on the wrist.

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Consumer Affairs reports a settlement with 39 states for Sony's use of a "rootkit" to try and prevent users from copying their music. This forced DRM was detected by computer experts and quickly raised a stir.

Most importantly,

Sony said it was "pleased" with the settlement and said it would stop using copy-protection software that cannot be easily removed from consumers' PCs

According to Consumer Affairs, Hawaii, Kansas, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin now have Credit Freeze laws. However, it sounds as if you must be a victim before you can use the law (which is really, really stupid). A friend said once that this is like having to wear a seatbelt, but only after you've been in a car wreck. Sounds like a good analogy to me.