Privacy issues has been recently discussed in regard to ID Cards and Passports which might be read without the holder's permission. To solve this problem, SmartCode Research has developed a unique solution that enhance the user privacy safekeeping and adds an additional layer of security to the RFID enabled ID Card or Passport. The solution comprises of an embedded, miniature push button which is connected to the RFID tag's antenna. The RFID tag cannot be read in any form   unless   the   user  approves  the   tag's

reading by pressing the push button on the tag. By pushing the push button, the user connects the RFID tag's antenna and enable the RFID tag's operation. When the ID Card or Passport are in the user pocket or bag, the tag's reading is not possible as the push button is not pressed, thus ensuring the holder with a extremely high privacy and using the RFID tag only when needed. The simple open/closed circuit mechanism enables the user to protect himself against any possible threats such as reading the RFID tag without his authorization while in his pocket or in his bag. 

"SmartCode™ Corp. is once again delighted to offer the world's first of its kind RFID solutions." said Avi Ofer, SmartCode™ Corp. President "As the world leader in low cost, high performance RFID solutions, we are taking special measures to ensure RFID solutions will work well in real life situations while protecting citizens' privacy. SmartCode Research is investing great resources in bringing stable, reliable and user friendly solutions to the market and we are happy once again to see our R&D team pushing the envelope when it comes to RFID innovation."

The Department of Homeland Security Emerging Applications and Technology Subcommittee of the DHS Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee have published a report titled “The Use of RFID for Human Identification". In the report the Committee have stated:  

"Without formidable safeguards, the use of RFID in identification cards and tokens will
tend to enable the tracking of individuals’ movements, profiling of their activities, and
subsequent, non-security-related use of identification and derived information."

"individuals carrying RFID-tagged documents will have a difficult time determining when they are being identified and to whom. Unless people begin carrying radio frequency detectors or purses and wallets that are impermeable to radio frequencies, they will not know when the RFID chips in their identification cards are being scanned."

SmartCode Corp. is working with local, state and federal Governments to ensure the best available solutions for their applications while protecting citizen privacy. In recent years, a number of legislations have required the usage of RFID in citizens' documents including the Real ID act and US-VISIT program as well as the usage of RFID in Passports and ID Cards in the US, Europe and Asia. SmartCode as a recognized world leader in RFID,  is addressing the needs of such RFID applications with special  care with regard to the end user privacy protection and the governments' increased security measures in operating the programs. The new push button solution is designed to offer the benefits of using low cost, high performance RFID solutions for citizen identification with an increased emphasis for the citizen's privacy and security.