Journal: News & Comment

Watch the watchers

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University of Toronto professor Steve Mann has invented some clever privacy/surveillance tricks:

He has designed a wallet that requires someone to show ID in order to see his ID. The device consists of a wallet with a card reader on it. His driver's license can be seen only partially through a display. And in order for someone to see the rest of his ID, they have to swipe their own ID through the card reader to open the wallet.

He also made a briefcase that has a fingerprint scan that requires the fingerprint of someone else to open it.

People rarely ask me for ID, but I'd be interested in the wallet in case someone did—especially if I'm unsure whether they're legit.

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