Nexus - 0221 - New Times Magazine-pages

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| LYS S Te VEW? YOUR NEW 'SMART' ID The letters are often the same. we q * CARDS A date is given, and the hard facts Get ready for the new ‘smart’ are spelled out. In one case for cash cards. Is it a coincidence this week, Cliff Robertson of they are being released in Europe, Whitesville, Kentucky, told about the USA, Australia and New how some 30 people—police of Zealand under different guises, but every stripe—came to his house, at almost the same time? arrested him and trundled him off In Australia—it is called the to jail. Five days later, with Cliff FirstCard. Ours is a little more out on bond, they came again advanced than many being with enough cartons to pack off launched overseas in that it has no all his possessions, books, papers, magnetic strip, In fact, it-is the etc. They also arrested him world's first radio-powered, intelli- again. : gent credit card using a small Robertson got into trouble over microcomputer chip and radio aer- a decade ago. A muscular dystro- ial embedded in the plastic. phy patient came to his clinic. Normally, magnetic-strip cards When she left, she walked out have to be inserted into a card- without a wheelchair. A news- reader, but these new smart-cards man got hold of the story, and can exchange information just by this item on the front page prompted the IDENTITY CARDS passing the card, or a wallet with the card State Medical Board to pull his licence. From lst June this year, every citizen inside, in front of an electronic reader. (The Board chairman at the time distin- above 12 years of age in the Netherlands They are due to appear early next year. guished himself by negligently sewing up must carry a new type of ID card on their (Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, 11 medical sponges in a patient during an person. The ID card costs f26.25 Dutch June 1994) operation.) guilders (about US$20.00) and will have In New Zealand—a new smart-card Robertson closed his osteopathic clinic the name, address, nationality, photograph, will be offered later this year; its data is and turned to teaching to make a living. birthdate, ID number and tax-file number also held in a computer chip rather than a Some of his friends set up a Cliff of each person. The card is valid until 1st magnetic strip. Robertson Foundation, and, under its aus- January 1995, when the new European ID This rechargeable smart-card is also an pices, Cliff set up a school. card will be introduced. extension of the phone-card, which has a Needless to say, the government ringers The card will be needed for virtually pre-paid amount of credit for use in partici- arrived, and in due time physician Cliff everything—from applying for a job or pating outlets. (Source: Consumer [NZ], Robertson stood accused of practising med- unemployment benefits, going to the foot- June 1994) icine without a licence. ball, to travelling on public transport. In Europe—you will receive a smart- The TV news has reported that the prose- Dutch police will be able to detaina person card which will deduct your what you cution will ask for a 40-year sentence, in custody for 12 hours for failing to pro- spend, and add what you have earned to which, for this physician who has already duce their ID card. your running total, using an equivalent of given 50 years of service, would amount to (Source: Ministry for Justice, The Hague, the EFTPOS system in Europe. (Source: a life sentence. The Netherlands, quoted in Exposure, vol.1, The European, 10-16 June 1994) (Source: Acres USA, April 1994) no. 9, 1 May 1994) In the UK—British motorists will soon be issued with credit-card-sized photo-ID driver's licences. The new licence, which was unveiled in Brussels in April, will eventually carry a magnetic strip contain- ing confidential information about the dri- ver, and is expected to become the standard licence throughout Europe. Roads minister Robert Key indicated that the magnetic strip would be eventually replaced by a computer chip, thus making it a true smart-card. (Source: The Sunday Times [UK], 27 March 1994) In the USA—Sources within the US Postal Service recently revealed that they're all set to deliver your very own person- alised super-smart ID card. Without the card you won't be able to own property, receive government benefits, get medical 6*NEXUS POLICE STATE USA IDENTITY CARDS AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1994