Jim Harper

AOL, Red Hat, and Yahoo Support a U.S. National ID

Indirectly, anyway. They are members of the Information Technology Association of America, which continues to plead lamely for federal funding of the REAL ID Act, the United States’ moribund national ID law.

I’d been considering writing about an opinion poll purporting to favor REAL ID that ITAA has been touting this week, but mostly thought it should remain obscure. The headline of a Washington Technology article by Alice Lipowicz was too good to pass up, though:

ITAA to Congress: Cut a Check for REAL ID Now

I’ve long thought highly of the ITAA - they’ve taken many sensible pro-innovation and anti-regulatory positions over the years - but it’s embrassing to watch their slavish begging for federal dollars - all to build infrastructure that attacks the nation’s values.

A trade association representing the interests of its members in Washington is one thing. A gaggle of lobbyists that fishes around the Beltway for federal money - that’s quite another. I don’t think the people and companies in the tech industry are well represented by an organization that tries to promote a national ID, given the surveillance and tracking that attends it.

Take a look at their membership list for companies you’re familiar with. Indirectly, they’re supporting the REAL ID Act too. You could let them know what you think of that directly by contacting them or indirectly by withdrawing your patronage.

September 27, 2007 | Comments |

4 comments posted

  1. Posted by: Do you know this? - 09/27/2007

    What It Might Look Like If: AOL Buys Out Red Hat

  2. Posted by: trademark registration - 12/11/2007

    The implications for us as a free people are truly frightening. I hate to sound like a conspiracy ‘nut’ but what’s next–implantable biometric chips? After all, that is the only sure way to know that you are who you say you are!

  3. Posted by: toys - 03/06/2008

    Don’t be ridiculous, we function on a national ID here in South Africa and it’s not at all a control mechanism. I suppose it all depends what you mean by ‘national ID’ but I think that a lot of Americans aren’t really sure on the details. It may be, though, that they’ll never succeed simply because of the backlash of even thinking of something like this. I guess 1984 sure drove it’s point home, and good for the author!

  4. Posted by: canvas oil paintings - 04/29/2008

    Since the President of your country is a close friend – a classmate actually – of our President, now I know where Her Excellency got the idea of national ID schemes. Actually, this scheme has advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that I won’t carry lots of IDs whenever I need to go to the bank or encash a payment or other legal matters. One disadvantage is this will allow other people to have access on my personal accounts. Hacking is just anywhere. I guess if only the government would tell the WHYs of this scheme we won’t be left here thinking and fearful about what this will lead us.

Subscribe to this entry's comments

Post a comment