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 EPIC FOIA Notes

EPIC FOIA Notes #5
May 16, 2005

DC Metro Tracks Travelers

SNAPSHOT [click for full document]

THE DISCLOSURE
Documents obtained by EPIC from the Washington Metro Authority reveal that the SmarTrip system collects detailed travel information.

THE ISSUE
Lack of privacy safeguards for DC Metro riders.

THE BACKGROUND
The SmarTrip farecard, which includes an embedded RFID chip, tracks each rider's metro travel and can be linked to address and credit card data. Most records held by state agencies are protected by law, but no similar protections exist for the SmarTrip system.

THE SIGNIFICANCE
Even after Metro Board members complained last year that releasing SmartTrip information would invade riders privacy, the DC Metro still has no real privacy safeguards. EPIC has urged stronger protections.

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