An Ericsson executive says all new mobile phones sold in 2010 will include an RFID chip that will allow owners to open their car or house door with their phone. A handy feature, no doubt, for some people. But the executive says the chip might also be used by credit card companies to track the location of cardholders to cut down on fraud.

Source: Wired

Hat tip: Ryan

… Another privacy concern repeatedly mentioned to the European Commission these days is behavioural advertisement: systems that monitor internet users’ web browsing to better target them with advertisements. Now, European privacy rules are crystal clear: a person’s information can only be used with their prior consent. And ee cannot give up this basic principle, and have all our exchanges monitored, surveyed and stored, in exchange for a promise of “more relevant” advertisement! The Commission is closely monitoring the use of behavioural advertising to ensure respect for our privacy rights. I will not shy away from taking action where an EU country falls short of this duty….

Source: European Commission, Viviane Reding
There is a video of her full speech and also a transcript.

ZDNet.co.uk reports:

[GNU founder Richard] Stallman criticised the use of open-source software . . . in the online payment system for the Oyster contactless cards used on London’s underground rail network. . . . He also warned that the RFID chip on the card might be read at other times, allowing information to be gathered besides details of Tube and bus travel.

Via the Canadian Press:

China has ratcheted up surveillance and security in every phase of the Beijing Olympics - even the tickets.

In a move unprecedented for the Olympics, tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies are embedded with a microchip containing the bearer’s photograph, passport details, addresses, e-mail and telephone numbers.

The intent is to keep potential troublemakers from the 91,000-seat National Stadium as billions watch on TV screens around the world. Along with terrorists, Chinese officials fear protesters might wreck the glitzy ceremonies, unfurling Tibet flags, anti-China banners or even T-shirts adorned with strident messages.

Aside from concerns about privacy and identity theft, the high-tech tickets also threaten chaos at the turnstiles.

Will British Olympics-goers be faced with similar measures when the games come to London in 2012?