Big Brother could be watching you through your E-Z Pass

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
ceemike

ceemike

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 19, 2009
Posts
607
Location
Pennsylvania
Here's an interesting article I just read.  An Austrian company has applied for patent rights for E-Z Pass type devices that contain cameras that can take pictures of the interior of the car & the exterior to show what lanes the car is driving in.  Very Big Brotherish.

Here's a link to the entire article.  http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/13/8308841-govt-cameras-in-your-car-e-toll-patent-hints-at-big-brotherish-future

Mike Wagner
 
I wouldn't worry too much about it, a piece of tape would render it (tghe camera) useless. I worry more about how they can use easy pass or our FL transponder to track a persons driving habits and movements. There is just too much info floating around.
 
I read an article a while back where a private eye used the info from the pass to prove a spouse was cheating based on where and when he got off a(pun intended). He showed the records in court and guy lost BIG bucks to EX. Another article I just read talked about how much info is stored on the key cards at hotels and the info just sits there until they decide to use the card for next customer. You can get a reader and get all kinds of info off the card including CC.
 
Conquest aka Robert said:
I read an article a while back where a private eye used the info from the pass to prove a spouse was cheating based on where and when he got off a(pun intended). He showed the records in court and guy lost BIG bucks to EX. Another article I just read talked about how much info is stored on the key cards at hotels and the info just sits there until they decide to use the card for next customer. You can get a reader and get all kinds of info off the card including CC.
Click to expand...

Here is what snopes says about hotel key cards.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp

Paul
 
If Americans keep saying "It's no big deal", soon, it WILL be! Over the years I've become amazed at what Americans as tolerating from their government under the guise of "safety".

The guy who got pinched by his wife while using his EZ Pass is a perfect example. If the Pass was registered to him, then it should have never been used in court in my opinion. If it was registered to both he and his wife, then yeah, the dummy should have wrapped it up in tin foil ....  ;D
 
about the guy caught cheating and lying. . . To quote Beretta, "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime." I don't feel even a little sorry for him.
 
Paul & Ann said:
Here is what snopes says about hotel key cards.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp

Paul
Click to expand...

You are in far more danger from someone going to the desk and claiming they "lost their room key" to get into your room. I've locked myself out on occasion and several times, when going to the desk and requesting another key from a clerk who had never seen me before, just had one made up for me without playing 20 questions first.
 
I live my life in such a way that I don't care if the government or any one else is spying on me. I have nothing to hide.

 
seilerbird said:
I live my life in such a way that I don't care if the government or any one else is spying on me. I have nothing to hide.
Click to expand...

Then you dont mind posting your full name, bank account numbers, social security number and mother's maiden name?

Paul
 
Paul & Ann said:
Then you dont mind posting your full name, bank account numbers, social security number and mother's maiden name?

Paul
Click to expand...
I didn't say I don't have a problem revealing personal information, I said I am not engaged in any activity that would warrant me having to hide my activity.
 
I echo seilerbird.
In fact I just found out the the canadian income tax people do not know what is going on with the canadian pension plan people. One hand of goverment does not know what the other hand is doing.
Now I may have to pay back some $$$$$ 
So much for BIG BROTHER
 
I worked with a gentleman who after driving on the NYS Thruway he received a notice he was speeding and it was a warning. Next time a summons.between Sloatsburg and Albany.
 
If any of you have gone thru the Border Patrol checkpoints along I-10 and I-8, I suspect with all the cameras and devices they have- they already know who you are, what you did, and what kind of wine you drink.
 
[quote author=Ernie Ekberg]... I suspect .... they already know who you are, what you did, and what kind of wine you drink.[/quote]

That's what I'd think/hope Ernie. But, several years ago when we crossed from Canada back into the US, the border agent looked at my passport and asked what I did for a living. When I explained what I did before retirement, he said "oh, that explains all the visits to the middle east". I promptly said "no, those numerous visa/entry stamps were from countries in the far east". I rattled off a bunch of countries and, like deer in the headlights, he said "oh, have a nice day".
 
I know I'm living in the dark ages, but I do not like how "trackable" we are these days. 

I have nothing to hide, I'm a nobody.  But it is still scary how much information is collected on all of us, every single day. 
 
I agree, I have nothing to hide either but still don?t like all the technology that can be used against a person without their knowledge. The EZ Pass is just one example and I don?t know all the details about some of the others. I understand there was a court case involving newer cars that have sensors to track speed, motion, etc. I know they are in industrial vehicles and have been for years. Don?t forget about the GPS devices on the phones and iPads. I heard a person posted a pic on their Face book page and apparently someone else found where that person lived from the GPS coordinates embedded in the photo from the digital camera. The bothersome part is unintended consequences from seemingly harmless items that can be used by others without our knowledge. Obviously I shut the tracking service off on all my devices except when needed for map programs etc. The left hand of govt. has never known what the right hand is doing, it?s not the govt. I worry about. It?s the high paid attorney or the very clever criminal who will figure out how to use this to their advantage. What is tolerated today becomes a way of life tomorrow.
 
My take on this.

No one is forcing you to subscribe to E-Z Pass. If you are concerned about your privacy, don't get it. The product needs to generate and maintain the information in order to bill you correctly and have the appropriate documentation when you sue them because you feel they overcharged you. The amount of the information that can be released is based on court orders. So if you haven't done anything that the courts would become involved with, you have no concern. I don't think Freedom of Information has been able to crack this one. If you don't like it, turn in your pass.

Same thing with your smart phone, turn off the GPS or get just a basic phone. But don't complain if, in an emergency, 9-1-1 can't find you or you can't find your car and you got lost, or your apps don't work. Oh, and stop surfing the web, tracks and cookies are all over the place.

If you are not a famous personality, a criminal, cheat on your spouse or don't use appropriate web security, you're below the radar and nobody sees you unless you want to be seen.
 
With Smartphone technology, it makes no difference if the GPS is on or off, they can triangulate you with the signals to and from the cell towers and can pretty much put you in a square block area. It works on the same principles as the old ADF approach for you aviators.
 
Even a basic phone as a built-in GPS chip for 911 location purposes. And you likely cannot turn it off, since 911 location is a mandated function of the phone.  And even if it is off, triangulation of signals still works in most cases. It is less accurate and less reliable, but it does work
 
gwcowgill said:
With Smartphone technology, it makes no difference if the GPS is on or off, they can triangulate you with the signals to and from the cell towers and can pretty much put you in a square block area. It works on the same principles as the old ADF approach for you aviators.
Click to expand...

Then leave your smart phone home, better yet remove the SIM card. And who is "they" and what are they going to do to you?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 1,644 (members: 34, guests: 1,610)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,977
Posts
1,388,575
Members
137,726
Latest member
CampMike2270
Back
Top Bottom