Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episode?

[Capt. Vulcan]

Interesting story regarding myth busters. I guess Adam Savage last week told a story about how they were planning on doing an episode about rfid, but was forced to cancel.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/02/mythbusters-rfid-hacking-episode-canned-by-credit-card-company-l/

They were supposed to have a conference call to talk about the technology but was instead met by lawyers from the top credit card companies. I guess they don't want people to know that Rfid is easily hackable. (I'm glad my passport is pre-rfid.)

Two days later he has to issue an official retraction:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/04/...ctivates-orders-him-to-change-his-s/#comments

In the first video he also says that discovery canned an idea for the finale because they were going to build an entire series off of the idea. Considering it's one of the top rated cable shows, it's sad that they don't have more pull. I hope they're at least getting rich off the show.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

These fucking credit card companies hould not only be ashamed of what they are doing here, but they should be held iable for releasing a product that is easily hackable. Didnt' they bother testing hacks? Some companies hire hackers to test out things like this. No, it seems instead they just shoved it out there and are now trying to hush up anybody that points out the flaw.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

Like their use in Passports, someone demonstrated that they could easily be read by anyone with a laptop and some programming skill. And all I can ever recall them saying was security precautions were in place, and the dangers were overstated.

 

[Nedersong]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

It's amazing the power money can bring, ain't it?

 

[Harvey]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

This is one of the problems of an advertising model for television financing. A shame they couldn't do the episode. Of course, if it were on PBS, they'd probably face similar pressure from the US government, since RFID technology is used in passports now.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

This is one of the problems of an advertising model for television financing. A shame they couldn't do the episode. Of course, if it were on PBS, they'd probably face similar pressure from the US government, since RFID technology is used in passports now.

Sounds like a job for Michael Moore! There's his next documentary.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

This is one of the problems of an advertising model for television financing. A shame they couldn't do the episode. Of course, if it were on PBS, they'd probably face similar pressure from the US government, since RFID technology is used in passports now.

Sounds like a job for Michael Moore! There's his next documentary.

Anopther video of inaccuracies and lies? No thanks.

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

Heh. I like how when Adam mentions "Smash Lab" people start booing.

 

[Timby]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

Heh. I like how when Adam mentions "Smash Lab" people start booing.

"I know, I know."

I chuckled, too. There were a few hints of dissatisfaction with Discovery's handling of MythBusters.

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

Heh. I like how when Adam mentions "Smash Lab" people start booing.

"I know, I know."

I chuckled, too. There were a few hints of dissatisfaction with Discovery's handling of MythBusters.

Yeah, I've gotten that kind of vibe from them in the past too, in fact I think there was an episode where Adam was wearing a fan-made t-shirt that had some (seemingly benign) phrase on it that some fans use to express THEIR problems with how Discovery handles MB.

It's great that Discovery gives the show a place for it to air and (I presume) offers financial support but my understanding is they "meddle" alot.

Take this for example. There's nothing illegal or "wrong" about what the Mythbusters wanted to do. Perfectly within their rights. It's just that the companies scared TDS out of standing up for their rights and it'd be too expensive for them to defend those rights in court and/or to risk the possible loss in ad revenue.

More and more our "rights" are less about what you are entilted to and more about whether or not you can afford to defend them.

 

[Christopher]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

Yeah, I've gotten that kind of vibe from them in the past too, in fact I think there was an episode where Adam was wearing a fan-made t-shirt that had some (seemingly benign) phrase on it that some fans use to express THEIR problems with how Discovery handles MB.

Yep, he's worn it a few times. The phrase is DISCO SUCKS, which can be interpreted as an entirely unrelated and commonplace sentiment, depending on what you assume "DISCO" is short for.

It's great that Discovery gives the show a place for it to air and (I presume) offers financial support but my understanding is they "meddle" alot.

To be fair, giving it their financial support could become untenable if they alienated their advertisers. Sometimes the networks are just as trapped in cases like these as the shows are, since it's the advertisers who provide the funding and can take it away.

 

[Marc]

Re: Myth Busters pressured by Credit Card company to cancel Rfid episo

This story appeared on Slashdot with Adam's inital comments then re-appeared a few days later with him revising his comments.

Savage is now saying that Discovery didn't bow to the preasure but it rather than Beyond Limited (the compay that actually makes the program).

Now Discovery could of leant on Beyond so it came through unscathed or Beyond could of been preasured by the credit card companys (not sure how that would go - Beyond is purelly a production company).

As to credit card companies -these are the same people in opposed legislation in the U.S that would reduce the risk of credit card fraud because it would prevent them on selling of customer information.