Your driver's license may soon have embedded radio chip

Good move? Or Big Brother? You decide.

March 2, 2009 - 11:14pm

TYLER - A new device could allow all of your information to be retrieved from far away with just a click of a button.

Plans for the radio chip are in the proposal stage right now, but its earned support from the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and five states are onboard, including Texas.

Let's take a look back at where and when the proposal for the "enhanced driver's license" started:

It was back in 2005, when the REAL ID Act was signed into law.

In a nutshell, it changed the way citizens sought driver's license.

Under the law, your state license would turn into a federal ID card.

But it didn't work. All 50 states sought extensions, over and over, citing lack of funding.

In January 2008, the federal government put off the REAL ID Act until 2011.

Last month, Napolitano told the Washington Times something must be done to protect our citizens.

She proposes a toned-down version of the REAL ID Act called the "enhanced driver's license."

This is how it works:

Your driver's license would have built in radio chips.

With just a push of a button, authorities can access all your information as you walk or drive by, even if it's in your wallet or inside you purse.

In addition - the "enhanced driver's license" will show holograms and various digital photos of your face to prevent ID theft.

Is this a good idea? Or a way for Big Brother to watch our every move? We want to know! Leave your thoughts in the comment box below.

11 comments

Tools

Active forum topics

When I hear comments such as "...I have nothing to hide...", or "...I don't do anything to be ashamed of...", I just cringe. That is exactly the point! Citizens should not be treated as if they are criminal without a court trial and conviction. There is something seriously wrong when people would voluntarily give up their right to privacy in the name of "safety." These devices won't make us safe! Tracking devices should be limited to cases where the person has been adjudicated as a dangerous criminal, for the protection of the innocent.

Fifi Morgan

1 year ago

What sounds so bad about this? I mean, we'd be keeping people from making fake IDs, or at least make it harder. I can't wait for this to happen and hope it does.

Also, this is from the DHS website:

Enhanced drivers licenses will make it quicker and easier to cross the border back into the United States because they will contain

* a vicinity Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip that will signal a computer to pull up your biographic and biometric data for the CBP Officer as you pull up to the border, and
* a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) or barcode that the CBP officer can read electronically if RFID isn't available.

http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingborders/gc_1197575704846.shtm

Ben Warriner

1 year ago

Just how, precisely, does a radio ID chip in my drivers license protect me? My concern over identity theft hardly rises to the level of carrying a homing device.

Where's the ACLU when you really need them?

I'll keep my anonymity, thank you.

Dave

1 year ago

This is beyond a bad idea!!! What else is "big brother" going to do to us? Hmmm sounds to me like this is just another step to becoming a socialist country. Man oh man this does sound like what is in the Bible. Lord help us all is all I have to say!!!!

redneckgal72

1 year ago

Makes no difference to me. I'm not going to go anywhere I'd be ashamed for my wife, parents, children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors, or pastor to see me at and I'm not going to do anything I'd be ashamed for any of them to know about.

old soldier

1 year ago

No it is not a good idea.Is this going to be an individual tracking device so big bro will know where you are at?

Jerry

1 year ago

Just another way for Big Brother to Control us and take away more of our privacy rights. Next it will be a chip up our butt. By the way, who says we trust the Police with our info anyway. I see more Ladies get hit on by Police Officers than any other Occupation. It is none of their business what my wifes address or phone number is unless she is committing a crime.

Frank

1 year ago

This is going way too far! This sounds like something the Bible preaches against.
The more the government tries to do things for "our own good" the more they take away our basic freedom.

Donna

1 year ago

We should never forget that anything the government can use for the good of the people could also be used to control the people. Isn't government involved enough in our personal lives? How many more of our rights should we give away before we become a socialist country?

Lori Mulkey

1 year ago

I think it's a bad idea. Our information is already too vulnerable for I.D. theft. It's only a matter of time before someone figures out how to hack this program.