California Senate fights RFID tracking for schoolkids

Are you Sarah Connor? *Beep* Move along.

By Austin Modine in Mountain View • Get more from this author

Posted in Security, 17th April 2007 21:29 GMT

California's state Senate has struck a major blow against the enemies of mankind in the inevitable war against The Machines.

Legislation approved Monday would prohibit public schools from requiring the implementation of radio-wave devices that broadcast students' personal identification and monitor their movement around campus — information the mechanical horrors could theoretically use to turn our children into livestock.

The bill was introduced by Democrat Sen. Joe Simitian and sent to Assembly on a 28-5 vote.

"The reason we have this level of support is it is a narrowly crafted bill, Simitian told the Associated Press. "We're dealing only with mandatory use that tells parents they don't get to be in charge of their kids' personal information."

In 2005, a small elementary and middle school in Sutter, California, attempted to implement an RFID program, but was promptly shut down amongst complaints by parents and a swarm of media attention.

Since then, public opinion has further soured for mandatory RFID child-monitoring, and no California schools have attempted a similar policy. With such policy clearly amounting to political suicide, the state's Senate pounced for the easy kill and approved the legislation.

The bill provisions would expire in 2011, giving the state government four years to ponder the implications of forced-implantation of RFID chips into the ID cards and tender flesh of human children, among other threats that are easy to grandstand against.

More RFID bills led by Simitian are currently being sent through California committees. One bill places a similar temporary ban on RFID technology in California driver's licenses. Another will place privacy safeguards on any existing RFID-enabled government IDs. Simitian also has led a bill that would restrict forced RFID chip implants in people.

Everyone wins. Except Them. Beep beep boo bop. ®

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