Feds place secret code in laser printers

Way to encourage the conspiracy theorists....

Published on October 19, 2005 By Arquonzo In Personal Computing

Link

Is it time for open source Printer OS? Or how would that work?

Comments

on Oct 19, 2005

So counterfeiting machines have finally shrunk in size and price to the point where anybody could own and operate one.

Somehow I don't think this means that the government should relax its regulation and monitoring of counterfeiting machines.

NightTrainthedark

on Oct 19, 2005

No wonder my color cartridges get used up so fast even though I never print in color.

Bichur

on Oct 19, 2005

Does this surprise anyone? They have been able to track copiers for years.

Dr Guy

on Oct 19, 2005

While the dots are meant to stop counterfitting, it can and probably in time will be abused. Dont look for open source printer code in the near future. LexMark has already sued those reverse engineering printer cartridges with the DCMA boondoggle.

ZubaZ

on Oct 19, 2005

Feds place secret code in laser printers

The Feds? I think this is the printer manufactures more than the feds. The different agencies at the federal level may have mixed goals but in this case they are trying to prevent counterfiting

It is not the Feds job to protect rights . . . that's the role of "we the people" and in this case the folks that make printers. My $0.02.

From the article:

Xerox spokesman Bill McKee confirmed the existence of the hidden codes, but he said the company was simply assisting an agency that asked for help. McKee said the program was part of a cooperation with government agencies, competing manufacturers and a "consortium of banks," but would not provide further details. HP said in a statement that it is involved in anti-counterfeiting measures and supports the cooperation between the printer industry and those who are working to reduce counterfeiting.

Corky_O

on Oct 19, 2005

Hey Cool!

I have a use for my blacklight again......

Flashback man!

We always new "big brother" was up to no good!

bakerstreet

on Oct 19, 2005

Do people really buy printers new? I don't think I have ever bought a new printer. My friend bought a "broken" printer at a garage sale for $5, took it home, put new cartriges in it, aligned it, and has used it for at least a year.

Printers are something deadhead technophobes discard like used lightbulbs. I'd be surprised if 99.9999% of the tracking they do with these dots ever leads back to the current owner...

Hus

on Oct 19, 2005

They secretly track printers for 10 years...I wonder what else they do...scary.

on Oct 20, 2005

So my laser printer has been marking papers? That's interesting.

Chicken Rapist

on Oct 20, 2005

not that suprising the government make ink companies change the "recipe" for the ink in pens every year so they can tell when thing were written or if the've been tampered with

dave86

on Oct 21, 2005

They secretly track printers for 10 years

I think someone in the government was bored...

As long as it's only used to detect counterfeits and is reasonably effective I see no problem with it...although I'll probably go and borrow a blacklight now...

Dr Guy

on Oct 21, 2005

As long as it's only used to detect counterfeits and is reasonably effective I see no problem with it...although I'll probably go and borrow a blacklight now...

If the technology is there, it will be used for other purposes. Your SS number was ONLY to be used for SS. Want to tell that to the IRS?

DJBandit

on Oct 25, 2005

Not sure what you ment by this but the way I see it, it's cheaper to buy a new printer than buying new cartriges for it. I mean MY lexmark printer uses to inks that combined cost $80 plus and my printer only cost $40. I figure buy a new one, sell the used one for a few bucks and it seems cheaper. Anyways we gonna get caught one way or the other if the Govt wants to get you.

WebGizmos

on Oct 26, 2005

I think I need some thicker tinfoil.

Dr Guy

on Oct 27, 2005

I think I need some thicker tinfoil.

Want ot borrow mine?

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