Focus on Real ID

Information about the Real ID Act, mandating changes in drivers licenses to act as de facto national ID card, and campaigns to oppose it

Real ID: Comments due to DHS today by 5 p.m. EST

DHS announced on Monday that they're accepting comments via email.

oscomments@dhs.gov is the address. Emails must have “DHS-2006-0030” in the subject line. For options to file online, via fax, or by mail, pleae see the Privacy Coalition's site.

More information is available at <http://stoprealidnow.blogspot.com/>.

Last updated May 8, 2007 - Link to this article

PrivacyActivism submits comments to DHS on Real ID

In conjunction with Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN) and the Fairfax County Privacy Council (FCPC), PrivacyActivism has submitted official comments to the Department of Homeland Security calling for the draft rule to be withdrawn. From the overview:

The draft rules proposed by DHS to implement the Real ID Act are fatally flawed. Focusing on how to best implement an Act as deeply flawed as this one is not in the best interests of individuals or the states; therefore we recommend that the proposed rule be withdrawn. Ultimately, Privacyactivism believes that the Real ID Act should be repealed, but understands that this is outside of the scope of this rulemaking process. Privacyactivism’s comments will therefore focus on the lack of privacy protections in the proposed rule, and why the lack of these protections require the withdrawal of the proposed rule.

Specifically, our comments will cover these areas: 1) The general lack of privacy and security protections; 2) the difficulty of compliance; 3) exceptions in the draft rule that lead to inadequate security; 4) the cost involved.

More information is available at <http://stoprealid.privacyactivism.org/docs/Real%20ID%20comments-final.htm>.

Last updated May 8, 2007 - Link to this article

Privacy Activism Joins Over 40 Groups Announcing Anti-Real ID Public Comment Campaign

San Francisco -- Today forty-three organizations representing transpartisan, nonpartisan, privacy, consumer, civil liberty, civil rights, and immigrant organizations have joined to launch a national campaign to solicit public comments to stop the nation's first national ID system: Real ID.

"The breadth and diversity of the opposition is real testimony to how harmful Real ID is to so many different communities," said Deborah Pierce, Executive Director of PrivacyActivism.org and one of the founders of the Stop Real ID Now! activism campaign. "By getting people and groups who are usually excluded from the debate involved at the grassroots level, we can stop Real ID."

See the full story at <http://privacyactivism.org/Item/240>.

More information is available at <http://www.privacycoalition.org/stoprealid/>.

Last updated October 31, 2007 - Link to this article

Privacy Activism Joins Over 40 Groups Announcing Anti-Real ID Public Comment Campaign

EMBARGOED -- do not release before Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Privacy Activism Joins Over 40 Groups Announcing Anti-Real ID Public Comment Campaign

Embargoed until -- May 1, 2007

San Francisco, CA -- Today forty-three organizations representing transpartisan, nonpartisan, privacy, consumer, civil liberty, civil rights, and immigrant organizations have joined to launch a national campaign to solicit public comments to stop the nation's first national ID system-REAL ID.

"The breadth and diversity of the opposition is real testimony to how harmful Real ID is to so many different communities," said Deborah Pierce, Executive Director of PrivacyActivism.org and one of the founders of the Stop Real ID Now! activism campaign. "By getting people and groups who are usually excluded from the debate involved at the grassroots level, we can stop Real ID."

See the full story at <http://privacyactivism.org/Item/239>.

More information is available at <http://www.privacycoalition.org/stoprealid/>.

Last updated October 31, 2007 - Link to this article

Stop Real ID Now blog is up!

The Stop Real ID Now! blog is now up -- and ready for comments. We'll be using the blog to get the word out broadly, along with the discussion groups on MySpace, Yahoo, tribe.net, and free-association.

We're going to be spending the next week getting the word out and recruiting more volunteers -- so any of you who blog, please look for a way to mention it. If you want to give people an idea of what's currently going on, here's probably the best page; if you'd be kind enough to solicit volunteers, the Help Wanted page is a good place to point them to -- we'll keep it updated with our top priorities.

More information is available at <http://stoprealidnow.blogspot.com/>.

Last updated April 1, 2007 - Link to this article

Analysis of Real ID regulations posted

We've posted a short analysis of the Department of Homeland Security's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) on the Real ID Act.

The draft regulations pass the buck on several issues that will be discussed with each bulleted item. These items include privacy, how personal information gets verified, and who’s going to pay for it, among other things.

Our analysis uses the bullet points from the ACLU’s March 1 2007 press release, which highlights some of the more important aspects of the implications of implementing the Real ID Act.

More information is available at <http://privacyactivism.org/docs/Real%20ID%20Analysis.htm>.

Last updated March 11, 2007 - Link to this article

Stop Real ID Now!

The Real ID Act of 2005 would turn our state driver’s licenses into a national identity card, infringe privacy, cost over $20 billion dollars, and impose major burdens on citizens, immigrants, and state governments – while doing nothing to protect against terrorism.

The 60-day commenting period on recently-published draft regulations offers a great opportunity to stop the Real ID Act in its tracks, by combining a national campaign to solicit comment with state-by-state battles -- Maine and Idaho have already decided not to participate.

The Stop Real ID Now! activism campaign will leverage social networks, events, and art -- with a goal of submitting over 100,000 comments, collaborating with the ACLU's Real Nightmare campaign and many other groups. Find out more on our wiki ... and get involved!

More information is available at <http://stoprealid.privacyactivism.org/wiki>.

Last updated March 11, 2007 - Link to this article

Stop Real ID! Activist campaign gearing up ...

A social network-based activist campaign opposing Real ID is getting organized. Initial goals include submission of 10,000+ comments, staging at least 10 events (salons, benefit concerts, art exhibits, etc.), and getting press coverage for the issue both in the blogosphere and mainstream press. To find out more, please check out the What's the plan? and FAQ threads -- and get involved!

More information is available at <http://tribes.tribe.net/real-id>.

Last updated March 6, 2007 - Link to this article

Real ID draft regulations posted -- 60 days for comments

The draft regulations for implementation of the Real ID act have been published, with the standard 60-day deadline for comments. The ACLU's response highlights concerns like the absence of privacy protections, the onerous verification requirements combined with exemptions that introduce security vulnerabilities, and the (unfunded) cost to states and individuals -- now estimated at to $23 billion.

Articles in Wired News and the Washington Post have more details. The ACLU's Real Nightmare site has been tracking this issue for a while, and is a good place to go to learn more.

PrivacyActivism is working with other organizations to put together a major activist campaign ... stay tuned!

More information is available at <http://www.realnightmare.org/>.

Last updated March 2, 2007 - Link to this article

The Many Faces of the Real ID Act

PrivacyActivism begins a multi-part series on the Real ID Act. The Act won't protect us against terrorism, but it will add layers of bureaucracy, increase the costs in time and money for us to obtain a driver's license.

See the full story at <http://privacyactivism.org/Item/226>.

Last updated May 1, 2006 - Link to this article