[Gllug] ist that right that the Oyster card got RFID on it?

[John G Walker]

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:55:20 +0000 David Damerell
<damerell at chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

> >On 16/01/07, John G Walker <johngwalker at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:  
> >>On the one side, there is what you call the tinfoil brigade, who
> >>argue that Oyster cards are about surveillance (for reasons not
> >>stated).  
> 
> I don't think many people argue that. That Oyster cards have
> unfortunate surveillance effects is another matter


Except that, if you want to cause mischief, it's very easy to use
Oyster to provide an alibi.

Suppose you want to cause some sort of mischief near Embankment
station, then what you do is to use your registered Oyster card to go
to Kings Cross (or some other busy station - busy so that no one will
remember seeing you). You next buy a ticket to Embankment from a
machine, using cash. There's no way this can be traced to you. Once you
get to Embankment, you do whatever naughty thing it is you've got
planned, buy a ticket from a machine (cash) and return to Kings Cross.

If you get accused of naughty doings at Embankment, you subpoena your
Oyster records and present them as evidence that you were at or near
Kings Cross at the time of the naughtiness.

From a surveillance point of view, Oyster cards are not that much use,
and could, if used intelligently, be used to cover rather than reveal
tracks,

-- 
 All the best,
 John
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