By Jo Best, 25 November 2004 11:20
NEWS Home Secretary David Blunkett isn't the only one who fancies getting people to sign up for ID cards - founder of the Glastonbury music festival, Michael Eavis, quite likes the idea too.
Glastonbury has repeatedly suffered from touts selling on tickets to the three day festival at hugely inflated prices, despite recent security measures introduced to try and ensure only those who bought their tickets direct from the festival could get in, including personalising the tickets and requiring festival goers to bring ID with them.
Eavis is considering going one step further for next year's festival and introducing photo ID cards, complete with chip, to help secure the festival.
The chip would be read at the gates to check the authenticity of festival goers' ID cards, according to reports.
Tickets to the 2005 festival are expected to go on sale in March.
Comments
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1. James Button
ID card, matching RFID chip inserted, and forehead tattoo (dayglow orange or green colour coded).
Oh! No, sorry Tony's probably patented that idea.
How else are the law officers going to track terrorists from the comfort of their offices.
Perhaps they will also make it illegal to wear hoods hats etc.
Oh! and wigs, and glasses.
But then who's going to be sent out onto the cold winter streets to check the ID matches the person buying all those fireworks is over 21, and the fertiliser & diesel purchaser is actually a (honest, New Labour supporting, fox loving) farm worker.
2. Paul Nedas
Surely as many of the visitors will already be used to needles --- the most convenient solution would be VeriChip.
VeriChip™ - There when you need it
The VeriChip miniaturized Radio Frequency Identifcation (RFID) Device is the core of all VeriChip applications. About the size of a grain of rice, each VeriChip contains a unique verification number, which can be used to access a subscriber-supplied database providing personal related information. And unlike conventional forms of identification, VeriChip cannot be lost, stolen, misplaced or counterfeited.
Once implanted just under the skin, via a quick, painless outpatient procedure (much like getting a shot), the VeriChip can be scanned when necessary with a proprietary VeriChip scanner. A small amount of Radio Frequency Energy passes from the scanner energizing the dormant VeriChip, which then emits a radio frequency signal transmitting the individuals unique verification (VeriChipID) number. The VeriChip Subscriber Number then provides instant access to the Global VeriChip Subscriber (GVS) Registry - through secure, password protected web access to subscriber-supplied information. This data is maintained by state-of-the-art GVS Registry Operations Centers located in Riverside, California and Owings, Maryland
3. Bruce Schneier
Does No One EVER buy a ticket as a gift or attend with a given ticket? Really? How nice to require an audience to be made entirely of solopsistic singles without companions. I'm sure that they do not mind being identified in that demographic. Of course, that describes sociopathic disaffected terrorists as well.
4. Graham Guy
"Surely as many of the visitors will already be used to needles --- the most convenient solution would be VeriChip."
Nice bit of generalized stereotypical bigotry there, Paul!
Seriously though, how would they handle the gifts, the surprises and the last minute I-can't-go-so-have-my-ticket situations? Tech solutions to this sort of problem aren't always the right solutions.
(and no, I can't think of an easy better option at the moment, but give me time...)