Update on copier code rumor

Added post-facto: PRIVACY forum on color copier codes


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The Konformist
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01 December 1999

Monday, November 29, 1999
Ian (at) Goddard.net COPY-CODE-CONSPIRACY UPDATE

J.J. Johnson, husband of Libertarian Party VP candidate Nancy Lord Johnson, has received confirmation [1] of the existence of invisible tracking numbers encoded into color photocopies, which he recently reported on. [2] I also found and received some confirmation. [3]
Johnson received confirmation from Color Laser Printer Engineer Richard Longcoat with Xerox. Longcoat told Johnson: "The 'encrypted' code reveals the serial number of the color copier that made the document. This is because the quality of a well tuned color laser printer could be used to print extremely good counterfeit money, Stocks and Bonds, Etc... My understanding is that Xerox, as well as other makers of High Quality Color copiers have an agreement with the Treasury Department, (not the CIA). Since there is no foolproof way for the copier to recognize...currencies, a code is included."
Apparently the government actually prohibited color photocopy machines from being sold unless they included the encoding technology. It's surprising that so few people have heard of this, yet it supposedly goes back many years. Even searching counterfeit-related-Internet resources turned up nothing on color-copy encoding. It's so unheard of I got responses after forwarding Johnson's initial post that said it was "another crazy conspiracy theory... too many people would know, how would they all keep it secret..." But it seems that it has been kept "secret" from most people. But why keep it "secret"?
The purpose of keeping color-copy-encoding quite may be to encourage counterfeiters to do their dirty deed, so they will then get caught. Or maybe it's feared that if they figure out the encoding technology, it could be circumvented. Whatever the reason, if the government compels private makers of any color-printing presses to include a technology that places hidden tracking codes on all the prints, then that is clearly a violation of both the letter and the spirit of Freedom Of The Press.
______________________________________________________
[1] http://www.jj-johnson.com/copiers2.htm
[2] http://www.jj-johnson.com/copiers.htm
[3] Statements about the existence of hidden codes can be found here http://www.c-prompt-dev.com/bulletin.0119.htm and here http://www.naqp.org/staging1/press/copier_fraud.html
Interesting history of covert photocopy technology: http://www.parascope.com/articles/0197/xerox.htm

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Forwarded from the New Paradigms Project [Not Necessarily Endorsed]:
From: Ray Earnest
Subject: Re: Are Copiers used to Track us?

Date: Sunday, November 28, 1999 6:35 PM

Phillip, while the government agencies can use this as you suspect, it was established to prevent counterfeiting on these color machines. We had a case a few years ago where some boys ran a few hundred dollars off on one of the Xerox machines, and it was difficult for the feds to run them down, but they did. I guess the invisible marks are the results of this. I made contact with the boys and informed them that they should try to bring up the fact that it is not possible to counterfeit a counterfeit, but their lawyer was as stupid as they, so they were convicted and jailed.

Ray Earnest

Tuesday, December 7th, 1999 danlyke@flutterby.com