Biz Execs Say 'No!'
Business travel organizations expressed anger, scorn and dismay with the U.S. State Department's plan to outfit American passports with RFID chips.
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives stated their strong opposition to RFID "bugs" in U.S. passports.
"The thought that your travel documents could be broadcasting your nationality to those with an interest in harming U.S. citizens is bad enough," said ACTE President Greeley Koch. "But it could also be pinpointing likely targets for pickpockets, thieves, and even providing information to steal."
"There is no doubt that RFID technology can be shielded or coded in some way," Continued Koch. "But it is once again developing a false reliance on technology. A mass-produced, cheap, electronic identification system that is bound to be lost or stolen in large quantities is bound to be defeated."
In a separate advisory, ACTE's president is urging its thousands of business travel professionals to send their comments to the U.S. State Department before the period of public commentary expires, on April 4, 2005.
The Business Travel Coalition condemned the RFID proposal, stating that this is a "deeply flawed policy and will put American business travelers at risk of identity theft and physical harm."
BTC chairman Kevin Mitchell stated, "American business travelers have gone to great lengths in traveling abroad to maintain a low profile. Most U.S. citizens do not expect their government to protect them while traveling on business in foreign lands. At the same time, however, they do not expect to have their government knowingly put them in harm's way. Ultimately, such an ill-conceived policy would make the conduct of face-to-face business overseas for Americans exceedingly difficult."