I’m sure there are other examples around the world, but this post is regarding my home town of Melbourne that has replaced a healthy, functional ticketing system with a $1 billion system that uses smart card technology. It is called “Myki”
- 2.2 million public transport users (all must use a Myki card)
- 1.1 million Myki users have registered their cards
Registration is a smart move because you will get a SMS or email when your balance it running low. It also makes it easier to reload your card with cash online. But buried away in the small print it says that authorities might be given access to your movements. And concession card holders have no choice, they must register.
There have been 71 police requests for customer movements in Melbourne this year. Most people acquired their Myki part way through the year, so a more accurate number going forward would be perhaps 200 requests annually.
Combined with CCTV footage, police will be able to prove your whereabouts down to the minute for all the time you spend on public transport. CCTV imagery will show that it is you using the card, and train/tram/bus logs will show where they took you and when.
It remains to be seen which criminal activities will be affected, and which civil liberties will be compromised. Of more concern, perhaps, are countries with looser privacy controls. In the USA, could 3rd parties (like private detectives) be sold this information? In Eastern Europe could citizens be spied on because of grey area activities?
