Sunday, December 5, 2004 in News
“We will only go into passport production when the issue of skimming is resolved – and not just because the ACLU brought it up.” He said recognition of the problem was converging with what appear to be viable means of addressing the problem, such as embedding fibers in the passport that physically block the chip’s transmission unless it’s in very close proximity with a reader.
Privacy experts say the incorporation of a mechanical blocking element in the wrapper of U.S. passports would help a lot - as long as you’re a U.S. citizen.
“Providing a foil envelope or some sort of protection into the cover doesn’t address the adoption of such strategies worldwide,” said Beth Givens, executive director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, an international privacy advocacy.”
