Via metafilter, I learn of some disturbing privacy/Internet related stuff that came out of Howard Dean’s mouth two years or so ago. Declan McCullagh (a “name” reporter on tech issues, of dubious reliability) writes for ZDNet (whom I loathe) that Dean advocated a national, biometric, smart card ID, and proposed that the use of this ID be mandatory on all computers and internet terminals. Text of speech available at the website of the “trusted” computing company at whose behest he spoke.

Okay, that is a sucky thing to say, Howard. Take it back. You were just talking out loud, right?

The Register has an article which, shall we say, refines some of the points made by McCullagh (who brought us the “Al Gore says he invented the internet meme”). I haven’t found the time to read the actual speech yet (and I doubt many people will), so getting more than one point of view on it seems good.

Comments are closed.