But, still there are international standards to what's stored in a passport.
OF course, the US could store more, but seeing as these passport can fall
into "bad" hands, I don't think they'd want anything but basic ID info on board
(including basic biometrics). Even encryption in this case is not protection enough
since encryption on public ID's need a key that's far too public to be fully secure.
Its more secure to take the passport ID and get whatever info you need at the border or when
taking a flight inside a closed IT system with defined access points.
How much information needs to be divulged when bording
a flight to various people probably is the resort on homeland security; I'd be surprised
that name and gender history would be relevant (or permitted) to airline or
security personnel (especially those on domestic flights).
The passport is a highly vetted document. If its not tampered
with (which is the most important thing in a physical ID anyway), just the
name to biometrics and photo correspondance should be enough and
of no problem to us.
BTW: There's nothng magic in RFID. Its a memory, some small processor + communication at low power, some have more onboard processing which enables them to create on the fly mesh networks, but that's overkill for passports or ID's. RFID can get its power externally (trough the radio waves), or internally (small battery). Those that are used in fields for example have very low power short distance communications. They are often coupled with sensors and create mesh networks with neighbors to pass sensor data down the line to the intended receivers.
So, RFID is just a descended of the bar code, a way to tag identifying info in a standardised cheap way on directly on objects (tagging boxes or cats) or on objects associated with the tag info (like ID's).
RFID have existed for quite awhile (heard about them in the mid 80's) and they're getting cheaper all the time. Its not the RFID itself that's at issue, its how RFID enables a more automated ID -> Crossreferencing -> Notifying -> Action -> Cameras being turned on, recordings saved, that freaks people out. It makes what was once expensive, cheaper. It gives internet level privacy (not much) to real world interactions.
But, its not RFID specifically that needs regulations. There just needs to be a discussion on the amount of privacy a citizen should expect and pass laws in consequence. If that's not done, don't be surprised if every move you make, every breathe you take, you are watched (ode to the Police and stalking on this one
