Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

[Occlith]

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) - Product tracking or privacy invasion?

Has anyone been following stories about Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) used to track consumers?
Although this technology has been used for many years, it has become more commonplace and increasingly controversial.

I culled the following info from a site called Spychips, a project of CASPIAN, Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering.

Companies are implanting Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) into products to monitor consumer behavior after they leave stores.
The RFID industry claims that this technology is for inventory tracking, that there is no need to worry about consumer privacy.

Radio Frequency Identification is an automatic data capture technology that uses tiny tracking chips affixed to products. These tiny chips can be used to track items at a distance--through someone's purse, backpack, or wallet.

These tags, hidden in the product or in its packaging, can be read though walls, allowing marketers to know exactly when and where you are using a specific product. Marketers claim it's completely legal, while opponents refer to them as "spy chips".

Some companies have been testing this technology secretly and without customer knowledge. The tiny tags can be imbedded in parts of the product, like inside bottle caps, the soles of shoes, clothing labels. They may also be hidden in consumer "reward" cards.

Spychips.com has press releases, photos of the RFID tags, and up to date information.


A Wikipedia article on RFID

 

[SFG75]

I've heard of this before, but was unsure how it actually works. A great site that I like to look at regarding privacy issues is the Electronic Privacy Information Center. Privacy is one issue that a lot of people don't get worked up about. Private companies owe it to their customers to not divulge privileged information(i.e.-credit card numbers, etc) and respecting their right of privacy as much as possible.

 

[muggle]

My gut reaction to RFID is that it makes me nervous. I don't like the concept.

 

[Fantasy Moon]

I don't see what the point would be of continuing to track inventory once it leaves the stores.

 

[PaulaQ]

I bought several pairs of pants from Gap this spring, not noticing that each pair had one of those devices sewn into a seam near the pocket. Gap's alarm didn't go off when I left the store, but the alarms of every other store I went to did! After it happened a few times wearing a pair of those pants I looked inside and noticed the device. It was clearly marked with "remove after purchase" but I didn't know it was there to begin with. I think in this case that the device was intended for inventory control, but it would have been nice if the store had mentioned that those things were in there before I figured it out the hard way.

 

[Occlith]

I don't see what the point would be of continuing to track inventory once it leaves the stores.

"One of the most graphic examples is IBM's "Identification and Tracking of Persons Using RFID-Tagged Items." In that patent application, IBM inventors suggest tracking consumers for marketing and advertising purposes."

 

[helfire234]

Well then the next time i find one of those im sticking it to something in the garbage and let them watch it as it goes straight to the dump.

 

[sparkchaser]

My gut reaction to RFID is that it makes me nervous. I don't like the concept.

+125000

The potential for abuse is enormous.

Aside from tagging products in store as a method of "reducing shrinkage", RFID can also be found in your credit and debit cards and the Euro. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years the U.S. Gov't starts making $20, $50, and $100 bills with RFID in an effort to thwart counterfeiting. There's even talk of embedding RFID in passports and other important documents.

It's possible these days to build an extremely sensitive RFID reader with a range of 2-3 feet. Can you imagine the possibility for abuse?

I'm not one to go all out on conspiracy theories but I don't like the thought of walking through an X-ray machine at the airport and them to know how much cash I am carrying and where it came from.

I'm tempted to buy one of these: http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/security/8cdd/