Observations
  • Home
  • Observations
  • Trendcasting
  • Odds 'n Ends
  • Science/Technology/Experiments
  • Mental Health

Laser Printers and the Tiny Yellow Dots...

12/26/2015

5 Comments

 
Picture
Video Below:
Is it possible for a simple home color computer printer or copier to be a tool to invade our privacy? The answer is yes and it has been occurring since the 1980’s! Here is the way in which I have determined that it happened and why the practice is not on everyone’s mind.
In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s laser color copiers were becoming not only popular, but they were providing clear and very accurate photo copies. The government, particularly the treasury department was concerned that it would become easy for counterfeiters to locate linen paper and produce good quality money. So, they either asked, or more likely told manufactures to come up with a way to identify every printer that they made with a code to track the manufacturer, date of the print, and by extension, who purchased that machine. And so the system was developed to place very tiny yellow dots in a code that could be read perhaps by an overlay or an algorithm. But the real question is that once the threat of phony money passed, why would the government continue wanting to track information on us? Because, that is what they do best! Perhaps if someone printed and distributed “dangerous” material or leaflets they could be tracked. But why invade the privacy of the rest of us when there is no law or legal basis to do so? 
So, be aware that big brother is watching and if you by a copier or laser printer with a credit card, you are easy to track if the images produced go anywhere in the public space. One experiment that I have yet to try is to find a color laser print online and see if that contains the yellow dot signature. Even with cash, the purchase is bar coded and theoretically could be tracked. One thing that we can all do is email the printer manufacturers and tell them we will stop buying their merchandise and spread the word. Or, just print everything with black printers only.
The Electronic Forum Foundation (Here) is running an experiment to get as many readers to submit samples to decode and identify which printers are coded. I inadvertently referred to them in the video as the Freedom Foundation because to me they are trying to protect our digital freedom. But the link will be clear.
Below are the photographs, video, and a link to my video covering the conversion of a webcam to a microscope (Link Here). (For the video, the webcam was defocused by about two turns to move the lens farther away from the image element). Enjoy and please comment as always.
 


Picture
Picture
5 Comments

    Author

    The author has an eclectic background in chemistry, electronics, writing, mental health, and community action...Ken

    Archives

    June 2021
    March 2020
    September 2019
    August 2018
    August 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    April 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Acid And Bases
    Amateur Scientist
    Anodizing Aluminum
    Anthocyanin Indicator
    Ant Orientation
    Artificial Intelligence
    Bar And Cr Code
    Cable Tie
    Carbon Dioxide Fun
    Catalase And H2o2
    Chemical Art
    Cold Cathode
    Color Hot Glue Sticks
    Common Chemicals
    Copper Plating
    Cyanotype/Blueprint
    Dot Com
    Electroluminescence
    Epoxy Art
    Experiments
    Hydrogels
    Infrared Photography Basics
    Magnetic Money
    Old Textbooks
    Photograms
    Science
    Static Electricity Detector
    Technology
    Yogurt