US postage machine spy cameras
p2pnet.net News:- Spy cameras have been fitted to new US Postal Service self-service postage machines.
And they can take portrait-style photographs of users and store the images for up to 30 days on a Windows XP platform, says EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center).
An official document says, “Privacy Office is requiring a notice for customers, advising that photograph may be taken during the transaction,” according to information obtained by EPIC under the Freedom of Information Act.
- What are the photos used for?
- Who sees them?
- Are they destroyed after the 30 days are up, or merely moved to archives for possible future reference?
- How does the system decide who to photograph?
These are among questions which go begging.
“Enclosed are copies of all responsive records fond to be releasable in full or in part (15 pages),” says a response to the EPIC FOIA request from Records Office manager Jane G Eyre.
It goes on, “Redactions have been made on some of the pages and 159 pages have been withheld in their entirety.
“The types of information withheld pursuant FOIA exemptions 2 and 3 include application flow screens. These are the majority of the pages withheld (141 pages). The release of this type of information would compromise the integrity and security of the APC kiosks. Other material withheld include the data architecture of the system; specific security requirements, controls and processes; determinations of information sensitivity and criticality; and, mapping of system activity log activities to the database.”
Stay tuned.
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See:-
self-service – Postal Service Privacy, EPIC, December, 2004
