Katherine Albrecht

Biography:

Katherine Albrecht is a consumer privacy expert and the Founder and Director of CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering), a national consumer organization created in 1999 to educate consumer-citizens about shopper surveillance. Ms. Albrecht is widely recognized as one of the world's leading experts on consumer privacy. She regularly speaks on the consumer privacy and civil liberties impacts of new technologies, with an emphasis on RFID and retail issues.

She has testified on RFID technology before the Federal Trade Commission, the California state legislature, the European Commission, and the Federal Reserve Bank, and she has given over a thousand television, radio and print interviews to news outlets all over the world. Katherine graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Marketing, and holds a master's degree in Instructional Technology from Harvard University. She is currently completing her Doctorate in Education at Harvard where her research focus is consumer education, privacy and psychology.

Past Shows:

	Spirit Attachment
	Monday July 27, 2009

During the middle two hours, Kelly Kiernan Ray, an expert in hauntings, discussed the various ways that ghosts and entities can share our space and cause physical, mental and emotional problems as well as addictions. During the first hour, consumer privacy advocate Katherine Albrecht reacted to the unveiling of the 'barcode replacement.' In the fourth hour, UFO expert Nick Pope responded to the Buzz Aldrin 'Martian monolith' story as well as the news about Russia releasing UFO files. ... More
Host: George Noory

	Space News & Research
	Wednesday May 6, 2009

Appearing during the first three hours, historian and journalist Robert Zimmerman discussed space politics and history, including recent developments at NASA, space tourism, and the Hubble Space Telescope, "the telescope that will not die." In the last hour, consumer privacy advocate Katherine Albrecht shared an update on current US census plans that incorporate tagging homes with GPS readings. ... More
Host: George Noory

	Resurrecting Dinosaurs & Privacy Update
	Saturday April 25, 2009

During the second hour, paleontologist Jack Horner discussed his remarkable research that may one day make it possible for scientists to recreate dinosaurs. In the third hour, Katherine Albrecht raised concerns about the CDC and Google tracking IP addresses of flu-related searches, electronic medical records, and other privacy-related issues. ... More
Host: Ian Punnett

	Chips, Surveillance & Privacy
	Wednesday February 25, 2009

Private investigator Roger Tolces spoke about the latest news in surveillance, and privacy expert Katherine Albrecht warned of a technology called "Smart Grid," and the increased use of RFID. First hour guest, consultant Harry S. Dent offered analysis on the economy. ... More
Host: George Noory

	Past Life Regressions & Channeling
	Wednesday January 28, 2009

A former practitioner of conventional medicine, Dr. Charles Tramont discussed how he now treats people with hypnotherapy, conducting past-life regressions. First hour guest, privacy activist Katherine Albrecht warned that a component in Obama's Stimulus Plan called for citizens' personal medical records to be placed in a national electronic database, and that many different organizations/entities would have access to the files. ... More
Host: George Noory

	Visions of the Future
	Monday January 5, 2009

Astrologer and seer Michael St.Clair debuted on the show, sharing his visions of the future. First hour guest, Katherine Albrecht reacted to a plan in Britain to hack into home users' computers with a technique called "remote searching." ... More
Host: George Noory

	Purging Negative Spirits
	Tuesday November 11, 2008

Exorcist and psychic Jeffrey Seelman discussed his work with negative and demonic spirits, and what it takes to purge them from an environment. Negative spirits are typically deceased persons who were negative while they were alive, while demonic entities may never have been human, he explained. Such beings can be drawn to a home, business or person when there is an opening, typically associated with negative emotional energy, he said. Negative spirits can deliberately attack or influence human emotions, and even create condensed "energy devices" that are emotionally harmful, he noted. Seelman, who said he was asked by helpful spirits to join their organization, conducts his business by clearing hotspots of negative emotional energy and then releasing and banishing negative spirits from the afflicted area. One way people can protect themselves from negative spirits is by strengthening and expanding their auras through mental exercises, he shared. He spoke about a recent case inv ... More
Host: George Noory

	Flatwoods UFO Case & Shootdowns
	Wednesday August 13, 2008

Ufologists Stanton Friedman and Frank Feschino discussed the 'Flatwoods Monster' encounter, which took place on Sept. 12, 1952, during what they believe was the biggest UFO flap in US history. Witnesses said they saw a large oval-shaped craft set down on a hill in Flatwoods in Braxton County, WV, and when they went to investigate they were sickened by a sulfur-like smell. An object that witnesses reported seeing near the craft became known as a 'monster' based on a sketch artist's interpretation. However, Feschino suggested the 'monster' was something encased in metal, with eye-like portals on its head. The arms depicted with claws in the sketch, actually had antenna-like appendages, according to the witness. View Feschino's drawing here.According to Feschino's research, the craft in Flatwoods passed by Washington DC earlier that night on its flight path, and may have been damaged by a military shootdown. There were other damaged UFOs that night as well, he said.Friedman a ... More
Host: George Noory

	Variety Show
	Wednesday June 4, 2008

A special evening featured four separate guests covering such topics as spy chips, ghosts, food & energy, and ancient Lemuria. In the first hour,privacy advocate Katherine Albrecht reported on how cell phones can be used to track people's locations without their consent. A cell phone sends out a location beacon every 15 minutes, but this can be subverted by turning your cell phone off, she said. Bluetooth headsets have even less location privacy she noted. Appearing in the second hour, ghostbuster Mary Ann Winkowski described her work communicating with the deceased at their funerals. She noted that spirits often linger at the photo collages increasingly used at funerals in order to hear what people say about particular images. Of late, people seem to be dying at younger ages as though they're in a hurry to move on, she commented. Author Howard Bloom joined the show in the third hour to offer analysis on the oil and food crisis. Blaming food riots ... More
Host: George Noory

	RFID & Chip Implants
	Tuesday February 26, 2008

Consumer privacy advocate Katherine Albrecht presented an update on RFID and chip implants. Around 300 people have voluntarily had an RFID chip implanted in them, but they could be at an increased risk for cancer, she said.Studies of animals who've been chipped show that up to 10% of them come down with tumors at the site of the implant. The microchipping of pets preys on owners love for their animals, she commented. A plan is also in the works to chip all farm animals, Albrecht added. She expressed concerns about Border Crossing IDs issued in various states which can be read as far as 20 feet away. Personal information could possibly be gleaned from these cards by electronic readers not associated with the government. Companies such as Checkpoint Systems and Sensormatic Electronics plan to offer RFID tags hidden in clothing and shoes, but legislation is under consideration that would force stores to disclose that the tags were there, said Albrecht.She also talked abo ... More
Host: George Noory

	Non-Physical Realms
	Monday September 10, 2007

Physicist Tom Campbell spoke about his experiences exploring different realms of consciousness. He worked with Robert Monroe in the early 1970s, helping establish Monroe's laboratory for the study of consciousness, and develop the Hemi-Sync technology, used to attain specific altered states. ... More
Host: George Noory

	Plant Communication
	Wednesday June 27, 2007

An expert in the polygraph and biocommunication, Cleve Backster related details of his research into electrical responses in plant life. ... More
Host: George Noory

	Secret Door II
	Thursday April 12, 2007

In a night of "Secret Door" guests, six people made surprise appearances on the show. ... More
Host: George Noory

	ET Contact & Disclosure
	Thursday June 1, 2006

Dr. Steven Greer returned to discuss his new memoir Hidden Truth: Forbidden Knowledge, as well as to comment on ufology and disclosure. ... More
Host: George Noory

	Mad Moments
	Friday May 19, 2006

During the final two hours of the show, George Noory, who was broadcasting live from WMAL-AM in Washington D.C., hosted Open Lines and offered a 'mad moment' line for people who wanted to share occasions in their lives when they just lost it. One caller recalled the enormous anger he felt after being shot in the back of the head with a pellet gun. Steve, an ordained minister from eastern Canada, remembered the time he raged against one of his troublesome parishioners, causing him to turn tail and run away.Tim, a steel mill worker from Cleveland, Ohio, said he snapped one day at work and yelled at his irritable shift supervisor. Tim was warned that if he ever did that again, he would be asked to leave. Richard in Indiana, who suffered from Polio as a child, said bullies would unlock the brace he wore and cause him to fall down. When he could take no more of their shenanigans, Richard let two of the bullies have it by striking them with his crutches. According to Richard, he was ... More
Host: George Noory

	Govt. Tracking: RFID & NAIS
	Wednesday March 15, 2006

Consumer privacy expert Katherine Albrecht, joined by activists Pat Showalter and Celeste Bishop in hour two, spoke out against the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a USDA plan to track farm animals using RFID chips. Showalter and Bishop, who both own animals in a small scale, non-commercial capacity, said the new regulations are very burdensome for small farmers. For instance, the "Premises Identification" part of the plan requires owners to report any movements or visitors of the animals, even in the case of a few chickens and goats. The cost and time for such monitoring is prohibitive and also an invasion of their privacy, they argued. Technology is being used to clamp down and control food in general, said Albrecht, who compared the NAIS plan to the tracking done with grocery loyalty cards, and the efforts to restrict farmers' rights to seeds. In regards to the NAIS, she hoped that small farmers will refuse to comply with the plan, as she believes it does nothing t ... More
Host: George Noory

	Exorcisms & Possession
	Thursday February 9, 2006

Paranormal researcher John Zaffis returned for a discussion about exorcisms. He has assisted and worked with well-known exorcists including Bishop Robert McKenna and the late Father Malachi Martin. In the case of possession, he explained that entities wear down an individual in order to gain control of them in a concealed manner. There are different levels of demonic entities with varying "assignments" and an afflicted person is sometimes inhabited by multiple beings, he said. Zaffis added that it can often take a number of separate exorcisms in order to rid the possessed of the spirits. He believes that these entities are not the deceased and that "they've never walked the Earth." Once they are expelled, they are sent back to the "hell" dimension they came from, said Zaffis, who described cases where the possessed's skin welted up to form words, a body levitated in a chair, and voices seem to come from below or above.Zaffis updated the water poltergeist case he'd re ... More
Host: George Noory

	Rebroadcast: Katherine Albrecht/Steve Quayle
	Saturday December 24, 2005

In this rebroadcast, Ian Punnett chats with Katherine Albrecht on 'spy chips' from 10/1/05, followed by his interview with Steve Quayle on the history of giants, which originally aired on 8/20/05. ... More
Host: Ian Punnett

	Technology Breakthroughs
	Monday December 12, 2005

Technological trends advisor Charles Ostman discussed both the progress and dangers of nanotechnology and other developments.Nanotech, the ability to manipulate matter at the atomic level, can offer spectacular breakthroughs, but it could also be used as a horrible weapon, he said. For instance, it has the potential to selectively alter materials in a vehicle such as a train, in order to cause harm. The technology could also be utilized to target people with specific genetic markers, he noted.Yet, the future looks bright with a number of advances heading our way. Here is a timeline of some of the things he sees down the pike:Within 5-7 years:Ubiquitously interconnected smart components within cars, homes etc. that are woven into our daily lives. New energy systems that include alternative fuels and solar for the home.Within 5-10 years:An increased ability to enhance the brain's performance and mental faculties through neural physiology. Within 7-10 years: Radical ... More
Host: George Noory

	Searching for the Afterlife
	Saturday October 8, 2005

Journalist and contributing editor for the science magazine Discover, Mary Roach discussed several interesting topics related to her new book, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife. A self-proclaimed skeptic, Roach said she was born "without faith" and was motivated to write Spook in an effort to understand what, if anything, happens to us after we die. ... More
Host: Ian Punnett

	Spy Chips
	Saturday October 1, 2005

Consumer privacy experts Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre of CASPIAN, a group dedicated to fighting supermarket 'loyalty' cards, shared an update on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products. ... More
Host: Ian Punnett

	RFID Update
	Monday July 25, 2005

Consumer privacy expert Katherine Albrecht returned to share an update on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products and how society might be affected by their usage. Many large companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Gillette, and Wal-Mart envision using the technology to create an "Internet of Things," where all products can be tracked all the time, she said. By extension, the people wearing or using the products could also be tracked, without their awareness. Government has become has become increasingly interested in using the technology as well, and may install RFID tags in driver licenses and passports. By placing readers in highway overpasses, they could scan and identify drivers, Albrecht cautioned.She believes that this technology could lead to an "Orwellian Big Brother nightmare," that is "ripe for abuse by a rogue government."She also paralleled the RFID situation to material from the Bible's Book of Revelation and its material about the Mark of the Beast, and how ... More
Host: George Noory

	RFID & Privacy Abuse
	Monday June 14, 2004

Katherine Albrecht (spychips.com), the founder of Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (nocards.org), shared her research on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products. The small tags which emit identifying signals, are being pitched by major retailers to replace bar codes, and the marketing applications are "quite chilling," she commented. Albrecht expressed concern that the tags would be read by hidden scanners without consumers' awareness and that marketers would be compiling information about people that they don't necessarily want to share. While the industry is claiming that RFID tags can be turned off after a consumer purchases an item, Albrecht discovered at her trip to the Future Store in Germany, they actually weren't disabling the chips even though they claimed they were. The government is also involved with the technology, she warned. Cash itself may eventually have RFID chips installed in it, creating a larger tracking and accountability da ... More
Host: George Noory

	Privacy Invasion
	Wednesday July 30, 2003

Katherine Albrecht,the founder of CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering /nocards.org) was the main guest on Wednesday night. A doctoral candidate at Harvard, Albrecht believes that "retail surveillance" is increasingly invading consumer's privacy. Albrecht cited the use of grocery store "loyalty cards" as problematic in that they are collecting a great deal of information about purchasers without their awareness. She also mentioned a test by Gillette (which has purchased half-a-billion RFID chips) of "smart shelves" in which a hidden camera snaps a picture of a customers' face anytime they pick up one of their products. She believes these kinds of technologies are on the verge of spinning out of control, and that by bringing attention to them through CASPIAN, safeguards can be put into place to protect consumer's privacy. Albrecht suggested that ultimately a unique identification number based on a person's DNA could come into widespread usage a ... More
Host: George Noory