, 2003-06-26
RFID chips are being embedded in everything from jeans to paper money, and your privacy is at stake.
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RFID Chips Are Here
2003-06-27
Stefan Sokolowski (31 replies)
Stefan Sokolowski (31 replies)
My RAM dies on a static discharge.
2003-06-27
webgiant (6 replies)
webgiant (6 replies)
My RAM dies on a static discharge.
2003-06-27
Wrex (1 replies)
Wrex (1 replies)
What does a law abiding person have to fear exactly?
2003-06-27
Gudlyf (7 replies)
Gudlyf (7 replies)
RFID Chips Are Here: Chips in Humans
2006-12-03
Anonymous (1 replies)
Anonymous (1 replies)
RFID Chips Are Here
2008-01-17
Anonymous (1 replies)
Anonymous (1 replies)
Re: RFID Chips Are Here
2008-01-22
Anonymous (1 replies)
Anonymous (1 replies)
WE HAD FREEDOMS
2008-04-28
Anonymous (1 replies)
Anonymous (1 replies)

Well, if we're going to put down others' opinions then we should be ready to accept the same of our own. And if we're going to talk about omissions, we might as well talk about yours, right?
Omissions:
1)Range vs. Size - You seem to believe that just because current technology has limitations that it will always be thus. Technology does not stand still, especially electronics technology. A lamp-post-sized long-distance generator/reader may be an impediment now, but even casual contemplation of technological evolution will reveal that what is lamp-post-sized today will be shoe-box-sized tomorrow and pencil-sized shortly thereafter. Also, the distance limitation is easily overcome by placing the readers in common choke-points like doorways, toll booths, and intersections. Just because RFID chips can't be tracked on a continuous basis doesn't mean they can't reveal reams of data on one's movements and habits.
2)Storage Area - It is not necessary for the chip itself to hold all the information in order to gain valuable insight from it. For example, how much data does a bar code contain? Does it hold the price of an item, the store it's sold in, the time of purchase, the sales clerk who sold it? No, but all that information can be tied together via back-end databases.
3)The Tire Scenario - (really is the same as number 2 but let's not split hairs) The chip in the tire may not hold the VIN but the auto manufacturer or the garage that installed replacement tires has a database that can link the two together quite nicely. Recent news items will easily reveal, if you care to look, that governments and corporate entities (one in the same, now) are racing to consolidate these small databases into large gold mines of information ready to be tapped. And, once again, it's not necessary to have continuous monitoring if one can take a few samples and interpolate the rest. For example, if you pass a freeway sign at 12:00, then pass another freeway sign 20 miles to the south on the same freeway at 12:14 then how hard is it to determine that you were traveling 85mph on that 20-mile section of freeway while heading south?
You also distort the concerns of those of us with reservations about this technology. We're not wearing tin foil hats thinking that we're being watched at all times. We're concerned that data about us is being silently collected without our permission by people who are unaccountable to us and that that data can be used in any way for any purpose without our knowledge. That kind of power should not be unleashed without some form of accountability and oversight.
You warn people not to listen to those who don't know what they're talking about but it's also important not to listen to those who would minimize and distort facts in order to promote an agenda. I would imagine that Unisys has quite a stake in the promotion and sales of RFID equipment.
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Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/columns/169/20605#20605