Australia Plots Digital ID Launch For This Year

The Australian government is planning a nationwide digital ID launch this year as the Digital ID Bill finished its final stage at the end of January. The national digital ID will essentially serve as a comprehensive version of MyGovID that Australians currently utilize for the Australian Taxation Office, Centrelink and Medicare access; it will be enlarged to encompass state, territory and private sector organizations opting to participate. Consolidated identification allows for more tracking, sets the stage for a social credit score system and increases risk of hacking.

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The Australian government is planning a nationwide digital ID launch, which is tentatively set for this year.

While it could be delayed for logistical reasons, it’s clear that the government is fully intent on pushing a new digital ID agenda in the country.

Having first entered Parliament last year, the Digital ID Bill in Australia finished its final stage at the end of January, garnering input from business and finance groups. The country’s authorities are currently communicating with the individual states.

An announcement from the Department of Finance revealed that the novel system would empower users to select their preferred digital ID provider for the accessibility of both government and private services. Private entities can apply for accreditation to provide digital ID services under the Trusted Digital Identity Framework (TDIF), which is the government’s recognition framework.

As stated by an official spokesperson, the legislative step will set in motion the enlargement of the Australian Government Digital ID System to encompass state, territory and private sector organizations opting to participate.

The national digital ID will essentially serve as a comprehensive version of MyGovID that Australians currently utilize for the Australian Taxation Office, Centrelink and Medicare access. The strategy to retain other digital IDs issued by other state governments.

An individual user will have the capability to create a multipoint image on a device, to be validated against their passport photo or eventually, their driver’s license. Officials state that users need only establish their credentials once.

Read full article here…




New IMF Handbook Confirms CBDC Will Track Users and Can Control Users’ Spending

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), a major financial agency of the United Nations, published a five-part handbook on central bank digital currencies (CBDC) for policymakers saying that while preserving the privacy of taxpayers is important, governments need to know who is transacting using CBDC for “anti-money laundering” purposes to protect against terrorism. The UN agency fretted that if CBDC users feel they lack privacy they may not use the currency as much and recommended “privacy-preserving technologies” while at the same time making sure to “allow transparency to regulators.” Last year, by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said digital currencies will be “identity verified, so [CBDC] would not be anonymous.”

The IMF also wrote that CBDC could be “programmable,” which means that authorities “could restrict where or when it could be spent.” The handbook also recommends “user identification and transaction tracking,” which can either be programmed into the currency or made a precondition for the user being granted the digital wallet which will receive the funds. Brazil has programmed a feature into its digital currency Drex which allows the Central Bank of Brazil to freeze and even withdraw the funds after they are transferred to a taxpayer.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) last week published a handbook for central banks and regulators on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), which confirmed that they will not likely feature privacy and autonomy.

A CBDC is a digital currency issued and governed by a central bank. A digital euro, for example, would be issued by the European Central Bank (ECB) — though critics point out that unlike cash, it could also be controlled by the ECB. A digital euro could be used at any point of sale and in any transaction, which would be settled instantly.

At the Singapore FinTech Festival last Wednesday, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva urged countries to develop CBDCs which she hoped “can replace cash.”

That same day, the IMF published a five-part handbook on CBDCs for policymakers saying that while preserving the privacy of taxpayers is important, governments need to know who is transacting using CBDC for “anti-money laundering” (AML) purposes.

“Using CBDC for domestic transactions requires information on the payer and the payee as part of standard checks for anti–money laundering/combatting the financing of terrorism,” said the handbook. The IMF added, “Information stored in data repositories owned by the central bank” could be easy to “access and cross-reference.”

But the UN agency fretted that if CBDC users feel they lack privacy they may not use the currency as much. Therefore, the IMF recommends central banks implement “privacy-preserving technologies” while at the same time making sure to “allow transparency to regulators.”

The lack of privacy in CBDC was confirmed by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell last year, who said digital currencies will be “identity verified, so [CBDC] would not be anonymous.”

With identity verification, CBDC could also be “programmable,” says the IMF. This means that authorities “could restrict where or when it could be spent,” like in the case of welfare funds being earmarked for welfare recipients, sent directly to them in the form of CBDC. But the agency adds that some central banks may not wish to program the CBDC itself because that could limit its use. To overcome this, the IMF recommends “payment conditionality” where the transaction is restricted at the payment level but the actual digital currency is unaltered.

The handbook also recommends “user identification and transaction tracking,” which can either be programmed into the currency or made a precondition for the user being granted the digital wallet which will receive the funds.

Programmability in CBDC, which allows the central bank to dictate where and how the currency is spent, has been dismissed as a “conspiracy theory” by media operatives despite open admissions by experts.

In April, for example, IMF Deputy Managing Director Bo Li expressed hope that programmability will be a feature of CBDCs.

Read full article here…




Italy: Cheese Makers Are Putting Microchips in 90-pound Cheese Wheels to Combat Counterfeiters

Makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano in Italy are adding microchips to their cheese wheels to combat counterfeiters selling knock-offs of the premium products. Although the tiny micro-transponders made of silicon are reported to be edible, are placed on a food-safe casein label, and cannot be read remotely, critics are still concerned about tracking and safety in the case of ingestion. The microchips can be scanned to pull up a unique serial ID that buyers can use to ensure they’ve got the real thing.

Other industries are also considering or planning to use the chips, including makers of drugs and car parts.

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  • Makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano in Italy are adding microchips to their cheese wheels.
  • It’s the latest move to combat counterfeiters selling rip offs of the premium product.
  • The chips, which are edible and placed on a food-safe label, cannot be read remotely.

The next time you dig into a bowl of pasta with freshly grated parmesan, you could accidentally be eating a microchip.

That’s because makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano are implanting microchips into the casings of their 90-pound cheese wheels as the latest move to ward off counterfeiters, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Yes, there are counterfeiters of Parmigiano-Reggiano. That’s because it’s the original parmesan cheese officially protected by the European Union, meaning the name can only be used for the authentic product. Parmigiano-Reggiano must be made in a particular area of northern Italy’s Emilia Romagna region and with specific production standards and techniques. It also has to be aged for at least one year.

Because of its world-famous reputation for quality, Parmigiano-Reggiano can be sold at a higher price point than cheese simply labeled “parmesan,” which is typically an imitation of the original and is commonly sold in the US.

The Journal reported that the micro-transponders are made of silicon and about the size of a grain of sand. They are being placed on the casein label, a food-safe label commonly used in cheese production, which is placed on the cheese wheel. The microchip can then be scanned to pull up a unique serial ID that buyers can use to ensure they’ve got the real thing.

“We keep fighting with new methods,” Alberto Pecorari, whose job is to protect the product’s authenticity for a group that represents Parmigiano makers, told the Journal. “We won’t give up.”

The chips use blockchain technology and trace the wheel of cheese back to where the milk that was used came from. Other industries are also considering or planning to use the chips, including makers of drugs and car parts.

Read full article here…




Here’s How the FBI and CDC are Tracking the Unvaccinated

It was discovered that teachers in New York City were being flagged and their fingerprints sent to the FBI for refusing COVID injections. The problem is more widespread as the CDC has come up with new medical diagnosis ICD-10 codes to tag patients across the US for their COVID vaccine status. Codes indicate whether patients have had zero, one, or another number of COVID injections, but still have “other under-immunized status.” The goal of categorizing COVID vaccine status is to “track people who are not immunized or only partially immunized.” Code Z71-85  tags parents who refuse to get their children vaccinated as health officials try to re-educate them. The medical history of tagged patients will follow them wherever they go.

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Buses Across US Are Quietly Adding Microphones to Record Passenger Conversations

Public transit authorities are installing surveillance systems on buses that will give them the ability to record and store private conversations. Officials say that the systems will help improve the safety of passengers and drivers, but the system has privacy violation issues as audio could easily be coupled with facial recognition systems or audio recognition technology to identify passengers, according to an expert. Cities that have installed the systems or have taken steps to procure them include San Francisco, California; Eugene, Oregon; Traverse City, Michigan; Columbus, Ohio; Baltimore Maryland; Hartford, Connecticut; and Athens, Georgia. The attorney general of Maryland indicated that signs warning passengers of the surveillance would help combat any legal challenges, and Baltimore is currently installing the systems.

Transit authorities in cities across the country are quietly installing microphone-enabled surveillance systems on public buses that would give them the ability to record and store private conversations. The systems are raising a number of privacy and security concerns.

Transit authorities in cities across the country are quietly installing microphone-enabled surveillance systems on public buses that would give them the ability to record and store private conversations, according to documents obtained by a news outlet.

The systems are being installed in San Francisco, Baltimore, and other cities with funding from the Department of Homeland Security in some cases, according to the Daily, which obtained copies of contracts, procurement requests, specs and other documents.

The use of the equipment raises serious questions about eavesdropping without a warrant, particularly since recordings of passengers could be obtained and used by law enforcement agencies.

It also raises questions about security, since the IP audio-video systems can be accessed remotely via a built-in web server (.pdf), and can be combined with GPS data to track the movement of buses and passengers throughout the city.

According to the product pamphlet for the RoadRecorder 7000 system made by SafetyVision (.pdf), “Remote connectivity to the RoadRecorder 7000 NVR can be established via the Gigabit Ethernet port or the built-in 3G modem. A robust software ecosystem including LiveTrax vehicle tracking and video streaming service combined with SafetyNet central management system allows authorized users to check health status, create custom alerts, track vehicles, automate event downloads and much more.”

The systems use cables or WiFi to pair audio conversations with camera images in order to produce synchronous recordings. Audio and video can be monitored in real-time, but are also stored onboard in blackbox-like devices, generally for 30 days, for later retrieval. Four to six cameras with mics are generally installed throughout a bus, including one near the driver and one on the exterior of the bus.

Cities that have installed the systems or have taken steps to procure them include San Francisco, California; Eugene, Oregon; Traverse City, Michigan; Columbus, Ohio; Baltimore Maryland; Hartford, Connecticut; and Athens, Georgia.

Read full article here…




Beijing Residents Lash Out Against COVID Surveillance Wristbands

Some Beijing residents have lashed out at local COVID measures after they were required to wear electronic monitoring wristbands. The wristband, worn 24 hours a day for seven days straight, was issued to returning domestic travelers in the northern Beijing residential district of Tiantongyuan. The wristband, connected to a phone, checks body temperature every five minutes and has access to phone location, camera, and microphone. Some of the wristbands were reportedly withdrawn after backlash surfaced on Chinese microblogging site Weibo. A Beijing COVID-19 hotline separately told both China Daily and the South China Morning Post that use of the wristbands was at a residential community’s discretion. Chinese cities do currently require quarantine after domestic travel and are known to fit doors with movement sensors, but this is the first time a tracking device has been reported in mainland China.

Some Beijing residents have lashed out at local COVID measures after they were required to wear electronic monitoring wristbands.

The wristband, worn 24 hours a day for seven days straight, was issued to returning domestic travelers in the northern Beijing residential district of Tiantongyuan. The wristband is connected to a phone via the internet and monitors body temperature every five minutes. The corresponding app has access to phone location, camera, and microphone, said state-sponsored media China Daily.

The technology was developed by both government and Tencent-backed Beijing Microchip Sensing Technology.

Users have raised suspicions as to how it tracks whereabouts and what it does with the data. Some of the wristbands were reportedly withdrawn after backlash surfaced on Chinese microblogging site Weibo, where it earned its own hashtag.

Read full article here…




Norway to Track All Supermarket and Food Purchases

According to Life in Norway, government-funded Statistics Norway (SSB) that collects statistics related to the economy, population and society, wants to collect additional data on where residents shop and what they buy. Everything about an individual living in Norway is linked to their fødselnummer (birth number), SSB already knows where you live, what you earn and what’s on your criminal record. A researcher and critic said, “When we increase the public administration’s ability to classify, predict and control citizens’ behaviour using large amounts of digital data, the balance of power between citizen and state is shifted.” Many people already hand over their purchase data to supermarkets in the form of loyalty programs.

Statistics Norway wants to receive several million daily receipts from food stores, signalling a new era in state data collection. Privacy advocates and the supermarkets themselves are unhappy.

People living in Norway are used to big government. But the latest news coming out of Oslo is a surprising new step down the road of data collection that not everyone is happy with.

Statistics Norway (SSB) is the state-owned entity responsible for collecting, producing and communicating statistics related to the economy, population and society at national, regional and local levels.

Because everything about an individual living in Norway is linked to their fødselnummer (birth number), SSB already knows where you live, what you earn and what’s on your criminal record.

However, according to a report by NRK, they now want to know where you shop, and what you buy.

Data collection from supermarket transactions

SSB has ordered Norway’s major supermarket chains NorgesGruppen, Coop, Bunnpris and Rema 1000 to share all their receipt data with the agency. Nets, the payment processor that is responsible for 80% of transactions, will also need to provide data.

Read full article here…




CDC Tracked Millions of Phones to See If Americans Followed COVID Lockdown Orders

The CDC used phone location data to track millions Americans in 2021, and paid $420,000 for access to one year of data to SafeGraph, a controversial data broker. The CDC monitored curfew zones, churches, schools, neighbor-to-neighbor visits and trips to pharmacies. Phones installed the software, even if users didn’t want it. Data collection by the CDC introduced profound dangers of government surveillance of the citizenry to police people for compliance, which can very quickly become a means of political enforcement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used phone location data to track millions Americans in 2021.

The CDC monitored curfew zones, churches, schools, neighbor-to-neighbor visits and trips to pharmacies through SafeGraph, a controversial data broker.

The CDC purchased the phone data and used Covid-19 as an excuse to buy the data more quickly and in larger quantities according to documents exclusively obtained by Motherboard through a FOIA request.

The CDC used the data to determine whether Americans were complying with Covid lockdown orders.

Motherboard reported:

The documents reveal the expansive plan the CDC had last year to use location data from a highly controversial data broker. SafeGraph, the company the CDC paid $420,000 for access to one year of data to, includes Peter Thiel and the former head of Saudi intelligence among its investors. Google banned the company from the Play Store in June.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bought access to location data harvested from tens of millions of phones in the United States to perform analysis of compliance with curfews, track patterns of people visiting K-12 schools, and specifically monitor the effectiveness of policy in the Navajo Nation, according to CDC documents obtained by Motherboard. The documents also show that although the CDC used COVID-19 as a reason to buy access to the data more quickly, it intended to use it for more general CDC purposes.

The CDC used the data for monitoring curfews, with the documents saying that SafeGraph’s data “has been critical for ongoing response efforts, such as hourly monitoring of activity in curfew zones or detailed counts of visits to participating pharmacies for vaccine monitoring.” The documents date from 2021.

Motherboard obtained the documents through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the CDC.

The documents contain a long list of what the CDC describes as 21 different “potential CDC use cases for data.” They include:

  • “Track patterns of those visiting K-12 schools by the school and compare to 2019; compare with epi metrics [Environmental Performance Index] if possible.”

  • “Examination of the correlation of mobility patterns data and rise in COVID-19 cases […] Movement restrictions (Border closures, inter-regional and nigh curfews) to show compliance.”

  • “Examination of the effectiveness of public policy on [the] Navajo Nation.”

Read full article here…

Vice:   https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7vymn/cdc-tracked-phones-location-data-curfews

Brownstone:   https://brownstone.org/articles/the-cdc-surveilled-for-lockdown-compliance/




Government Orders Google to Track Anyone Using Certain Names, Addresses, and Phone Numbers

An accidentally unsealed court document showed that the US government is reportedly secretly issuing “keyboard warrants” for Google to provide user data on anyone typing in certain search terms. Fears have been raised over the possibility that innocent online users could get caught up in serious crime investigations at a greater frequency than previously thought. It is not publicly disclosed how much users’ data is sent to the government and what the extent of the warrant requests are. This technique threatens First Amendment interests and will inevitably sweep up innocent people. Police are doing this in secret. -GEG

The U.S. government is reportedly secretly issuing warrants for Google to provide user data on anyone typing in certain search terms, raising fears that innocent online users could get caught up in serious crime investigations at a greater frequency than previously thought.

In an attempt to track down criminals, federal investigators have started using new “keyword warrants” and used them to ask Google to provide them information on anyone who searched a victim’s name or their address during a particular year, an accidentally unsealed court document that Forbes found shows.

Google has to respond to thousands of warrant orders each year, but the keyword warrants are a relatively new strategy used by the government and are controversial.

“Trawling through Google’s search history database enables police to identify people merely based on what they might have been thinking about, for whatever reason, at some point in the past,” Jennifer Granick, surveillance and cybersecurity counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, told Forbes.

“This never-before-possible technique threatens First Amendment interests and will inevitably sweep up innocent people, especially if the keyword terms are not unique and the time frame not precise. To make matters worse, police are currently doing this in secret, which insulates the practice from public debate and regulation,” she added.

The government said that the scope of the warrants is limited to avoid implicating innocent people who happen to search for certain terms, but it’s not publicly disclosed how many users’ data are sent to the government and what the extent of the warrant requests are.

Google has defended its decision to respond to the warrants and said it protects users when doing so.

Read full article here…




Victoria, Australia to Require QR Code Contact Tracing for All Businesses, Including Grocery Stores

The state of Victoria now requires individuals to check in at all retail stores, supermarkets and cafes for the purpose of contact tracing using QR codes. Individuals who refuse to check in may be denied food. Contact tracing officers will be visiting supermarkets and other retail settings to make sure people are following the rules. Businesses may be fined up to $1,278 USD for not following QR code rules and a further $7,671 if there are repeated breaches. People who visited a ‘Tier 1 COVID Exposure site’ are advised to get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days.

The Victorian government will now require people to check in at retail stores and supermarkets regardless of the length of time they spend in the store, as new data reveals a huge increase in check-ins to the Service Victoria app once the state forced businesses to begin using it.

As part of the extension of the lockdown in Melbourne, the acting premier, James Merlino, announced on Wednesday that supermarkets and retailers would be required to make everyone check in when they entered into the store. Previously it was only a recommendation.

After the state recorded a number of Covid-19 transmissions at retail stores where the contacts had “fleeting” contact, Victoria’s chief health officer, Prof Brett Sutton, said the change was to ensure records of everyone at potential exposure sites were complete.

“We are in a position now where the Victorian community is motivated to do the right thing and they understand the importance of contact tracing in this space,” he said.

“And even though we have been doing really well in identifying people at all exposure sites, I think everyone recognises that we have to do absolutely everything in our power to be able to chase down every single person who may be exposed because it is that one person who is not found who may be the one who spreads it.”

The Victorian government launched its Covid QR-code check-in app, Service Victoria, at the end of November 2020 but continued to allow hospitality venues to to use their own QR-code systems to record people visiting.

However, since the end of March, third-party app providers have been required to use the government application programming interface, meaning all the check-in data across the state goes to the one government-held database when contact tracers need it, regardless of which app is used.

The Service Victoria app then became mandatory for all businesses to use from Friday 28 May – coincidentally the first day Victoria entered a one-week lockdown due to a Covid-19 outbreak.

Data obtained by Guardian Australia reveals a significant increase in check-ins to the Service Victoria app in May as businesses began to transition to the single app.

The state had 18m check-ins between 13 and 31 May, out of 39m in total since the app was launched at the end of November 2020.

Victoria’s app still has recorded far fewer check-ins than its counterpart in New South Wales, where the Service NSW app has been mandatory since 1 January.

Read full article here…

ABC Australia:  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-03/new-exposure-sites-victoria-june-3/100186638




Florida: Magic Kingdom Says COVID-19 is Reason to Install Facial Recognition

Florida: Walt Disney World has joined the ranks of airports and corporations using COVID-19 as justification for installing facial recognition to identify guests in a trial program between March 23 and April 23, 2021. The Walt Disney World announcement revealed they are storing records of guest’s faces. The Disney Tourist blog said, “Facial recognition technology is fairly ubiquitous, and its utilization in public settings and at private businesses might surprise people. … Casual guests may not notice them, but there are cameras all over in the parks. It’s one of those things that, once you start noticing them, you spot them everywhere.” -GEG

Sadly, Walt Disney World has joined the ranks of airports and corporations using COVID-19 as an excuse to install facial recognition.

 

 
According to the Disney Tourist Blog, Walt Disney World will trial facial recognition at Magic Kingdom.

“Walt Disney World is currently testing new facial recognition technology for park entry at Magic Kingdom. In this post, we’ll share photos and video of our experience with the new contactless tech, thoughts on Big Brother fears & privacy concerns, and more.” 

Walt Disney World has been treating families like suspected criminals at a TSA checkpoint so it’s the next logical step for them.

 

“As part of an ongoing effort to enhance the arrival experience for guests at the entrance to Magic Kingdom Park, we have relocated some of our bag checks and metal detectors to the Transportation and Ticket Center and the monorail stations at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort” said Disney spokeswoman Rebecca Peddle.

 

“From what I have heard over the next year Disney is going to implementing new security measures to all of their theme parks entrances. Early reports state that we will be seeing airport style security scanners, hand-held wand scanners, and more uniformed Police presences with K-9 units,” blogger Anonymouse said.

 

According to a Walt Disney World announcement, Magic Kingdom will be using facial recognition to ID guests between March 23 and April 23, 2021.

 

“At Walt Disney World Resort, we’re always looking for innovative and convenient ways to improve our Guests’ experience—especially as we navigate the impact of COVID-19.” 

 

“The technology we’re testing captures an image of a Guest’s face and converts it into a unique number, which is then associated with the form of admission being used for park entry.”  

Nothing says ‘improving a guest’s experience’ quite like using facial recognition to track their movements.

Walt Disney World’s claim that, “children under the age of 18 who wish to participate may do so with the consent and in the presence of a parent or guardian,” is somewhat misleading.

If a guest (child under 18) approaches a ride or walks through the park how does facial recognition not ID them or associate them with a parent? Facial recognition cameras do not automatically stop trying to ID adults and children because they refused to participate. That is not how this technology works.

Read full article here…




Los Angeles Schools to Launch Microsoft COVID-Tracking App so Children Can Attend Classes

The Los Angeles school district is launching a Microsoft-developed COVID-tracking app that will coordinate student and employee health checks, district-managed COVID tests and vaccinations. Students will answer a daily questionnaire about whether they have any symptoms, after which the “Daily Pass” app will issue the child a scannable QR code to be scanned by a staff member, who will also take the child’s temperature. All data will be reported as required to health authorities. -GEG

According to a promotional video, however, “the real magic is your daily health check,” where students answer a questionnaire about whether they have any symptoms – after which the “Daily Pass” app will issue the child a scannable QR code to be scanned by a staff member, who will also take the child’s temperature.

Given the incredibly low transmission rate of COVID transmission at schools – just 0.08% among more than 90,000 students in North Carolina school districts according to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy – one can’t help but question whether Microsoft’s app will actually improve the COVID situation, or simply collect data and habituate children to being tracked. Of note, all data will be reported as required to health authorities, according to the LA Times.

The app, first announced in August, will be ‘instrumental in coordinating student and employee health checks, coronavirus tests and vaccinations.’

The software associated with the app is already being used to schedule and track district-managed coronavirus tests and vaccinations — the district began a pilot vaccination effort last week.

In Monday’s announcement, Beutner touted the app’s ability to generate a unique QR code for each student and staff member authorizing entry to a specific L.A. Unified location for that day.

A person will receive that code based on a negative coronavirus test or by self-reporting that they are free of symptoms. When those individuals arrive at a campus, their QR code, a type of barcode, is scanned by a staff member, who also takes the individual’s temperature. Besides helping to keep people safe, the goal is to prevent logjams at the entrance to school at the beginning of the day. –LA Times

Read full article here…