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I am troubled that the US justice system seems devoid of a basic understanding of modern technology. These cards don't in any reasonable sense identify a perso

I am troubled that the US justice system seems devoid of a basic understanding of modern technology. These cards don't in any reasonable sense identify a person's whereabouts. They are cloneable, easily used by anyone. They are in no way tied to a particular person.

ciscoriordan 18y ago
I am troubled that the this guy's Metrocard is the only reason he's not in a jail right now.
- light3 18y ago
  but is it really his Metrocard :P
- deleted 18y ago
  [deleted]
ars 18y ago
You missed a big point. It's not that it's perfect proof, court cases never have that. It's evidence, that's all. When you put that together with other information it all adds up to a picture. In the computer world you are used to perfect security or it's useless. It's not like that in most fields though.
hs 18y ago
have you read the article? it gives an example of a murderer who tried to fool metrocard ... but failed the metrocard itself cannot be used to identify a person's whereabout; however, it can be used to constrain the movement the key word in that article is "physically" ... the metrocard data is used to determine how physically plausible an action is for example, one uses metrocard at 9amET in new york, then someone get killed in LA at 10amET, s/he can't be physically possible candidate even if ALL govt witness say so of course, orthogonal info help too, a phone call at 930amET or even 705amET ATM withdrawal (with pic)
yummyfajitas 18y ago
Not just the metrocard, also a photo. Timeline: Bus to "Payomatic". Buddy cashes check, photograph taken, Jones visible in background of photo. Subway to girlfriend. So everything fits. The truly scary part of the story: During the interrogation, he said, it occurred to him that he had used his MetroCard on the bus and the subway, and he asked the police to check it. A detective took the card briefly, and then gave it back to him, and there was no further discussion about the card, he said.
- mechanical_fish 18y ago
  During the interrogation... he asked the police to check it. That's the scary part of the story, all right. Perhaps it's time to repost a surprisingly useful BoingBoing link: http://www.boingboing.net/2008/07/28/law-prof-and-cop-agr.html http://www.boingboing.net/2008/07/28/law-prof-and-cop-agr.ht... Attention Conservation Notice: The theme of this video, in free-verse form, is: Don't talk to the police. Don't talk to the police. That's what lawyers are for. The Fifth Amendment is your friend. Don't talk to the police. If you don't just nod when you read this you really need to watch the video.
  - elai 18y ago
    How about Canada?
    - mechanical_fish 18y ago
      An excellent question. I'd love to see the equivalent of this argument for other countries, just out of curiosity. Any Canadian lawyers in the house?

ciscoriordan 18y ago

I am troubled that the this guy's Metrocard is the only reason he's not in a jail right now.

light3 18y ago
but is it really his Metrocard :P
deleted 18y ago
[deleted]

ars 18y ago

You missed a big point. It's not that it's perfect proof, court cases never have that. It's evidence, that's all. When you put that together with other information it all adds up to a picture. In the computer world you are used to perfect security or it's useless. It's not like that in most fields though.

hs 18y ago

have you read the article? it gives an example of a murderer who tried to fool metrocard ... but failed the metrocard itself cannot be used to identify a person's whereabout; however, it can be used to constrain the movement the key word in that article is "physically" ... the metrocard data is used to determine how physically plausible an action is for example, one uses metrocard at 9amET in new york, then someone get killed in LA at 10amET, s/he can't be physically possible candidate even if ALL govt witness say so of course, orthogonal info help too, a phone call at 930amET or even 705amET ATM withdrawal (with pic)

yummyfajitas 18y ago

Not just the metrocard, also a photo. Timeline: Bus to "Payomatic". Buddy cashes check, photograph taken, Jones visible in background of photo. Subway to girlfriend. So everything fits. The truly scary part of the story: During the interrogation, he said, it occurred to him that he had used his MetroCard on the bus and the subway, and he asked the police to check it. A detective took the card briefly, and then gave it back to him, and there was no further discussion about the card, he said.

mechanical_fish 18y ago
During the interrogation... he asked the police to check it. That's the scary part of the story, all right. Perhaps it's time to repost a surprisingly useful BoingBoing link: http://www.boingboing.net/2008/07/28/law-prof-and-cop-agr.html http://www.boingboing.net/2008/07/28/law-prof-and-cop-agr.ht... Attention Conservation Notice: The theme of this video, in free-verse form, is: Don't talk to the police. Don't talk to the police. That's what lawyers are for. The Fifth Amendment is your friend. Don't talk to the police. If you don't just nod when you read this you really need to watch the video.
- elai 18y ago
  How about Canada?
  - mechanical_fish 18y ago
    An excellent question. I'd love to see the equivalent of this argument for other countries, just out of curiosity. Any Canadian lawyers in the house?