On the 9th of December, 2005, a Denver woman is scheduled to be arraigned in a federal District court. Apparently, this 50 year old mother of four was taking a public bus to work when a security guard got on the bus and demanded to see everyone’s “papers.” Deborah Davis, knowing she had done nothing wrong, refused, and the security guard called federal officers to arrest her.

This situation raises some interesting concerns. Should we be required to identify ourselves whenever we take public transportation? Allowing this to stand in court may open the door to more disconcerting implications. At what point do we draw the line? In large cities, the government would be able to track the movement of the majority of its citizens at all times. This is already possible when a person purchases a monthly, electronic pass. However, this is currently optional and an individual may opt to pay cash for their transportation to avoid Big Brother knowing their location. If this case holds up, it seems to me that it could be used to justify a system where everyone can be tagged, identified, and located whenever they use public transportation.

In London, surveillance cameras provide the government means to visually track persons using their public transportation. This seems to be a less invasive way of tracking people who use public transportation without forcing them to identify themselves. It would also prove to be more useful to prove criminal offenses carried out in public areas. However, many feel this alternative also exploits the privacy rights of citizens. Read more here.