Enhanced Driver Licenses In Washington, Does This Arouse Suspicions For Anyone?

Reference Article or Link:
http://www.dmv.org/news-alerts/enhanced-driver-license.php

"Why Enhance the Driver License?
In a continued effort to develop alternative forms of identification compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, the Department of Homeland Security came up with the idea for these voluntary licenses and ID cards. The hope is that the EDL/ID―which denotes identity and citizenship―will make travel across land and sea ports of entry much more convenient.

Benefits of the EDL/ID
Using Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFIT) and other measures that make forgery more difficult, EDL/IDs are encoded with the proper information to replace passports at border crossings. Furthermore, the EDL is less expensive and easier to tote around than a traditional passport. Washington Governor Chris Gregoire described EDLs as "a way to boost security at our border without hampering trade and tourism." If all goes as planned in Washington, we just might see these alternative forms of identification across all states.

Part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires travelers to carry passports when crossing the borders into Canada and Mexico (as well as Bermuda and the Caribbean). EDLs would take the place of a passport for U.S. citizens crossing at these land and sea ports of entry, but not for international air travel. This represents a savings to consumers, with passports costing $97 and EDLs $45 (DMV-Washington 1998-2008)."

I read this piece after I searched for more information on the Department of Motor Vehicles in Washington, D.C. I was just looking for information about traffic light cameras and tickets for traffic violations via mail for my blog due to my experience regarding the topic. After reading it,I recalled all of the information in Database Nation and articles and my blogs on the use of biometrics with respect to our national security. I began to think "Uh-oh. It's happening. They are deploying these systems in spite of further research and analysis of their implications on accurate personal identification."

Then, I thought perhaps the Enhanced Driver License despite an effort to protect our national security is just another way to track our traveling habits. I became suspicious of what might actually be done with the information. If our spending and driving behaviors are already being tracked by collecting data from credit and discount shopping cards and smart tags, then this is just another way for them to find out even more about us. Could this type of license be used as a GPS enabled tracking device? Or could it be another way for the DMV to collect information about our travelling habits and then sell them to third parties who then inundate us with travel promotions and credit card solicitations with frequent flyer programs?

Beyond the collection of travel data, I worry that the issues surrounding biometrics will become more abundant with the issuance of such a license. This could defintely lead to big business for identification card counterfeiters, which in turn magnifies the problem of identity theft. We will have to worry about malicious individuals seeking and gaining employment at organizations or agencies that maintain biometric data for their own personal gain. What about data collected that may be used to inaccurately accuse someone of a crime simply because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time? I think that we are asking for trouble here despite all of the potential benefits. The deployment of Enhanced Driver's Licenses as a more efficient passport seems to be in effect already, which means I will stay alerted to the good and potential bad this program may cause. Who knows? Maybe it will be successful; there will be no mistaken identities; and the worst we will endure is an increase in junk mail.