Spychips RFID Blog

Liz - I heard you on the radio being inteviewed by that Right-Wing lunatic Michael Medved. First off: What were you thinking? That he'd give your ideas a fair hearing? He ridiculed your concerns and brushed off your findings like so much lint from his jacket. I was quite upset, actually.

About RFID: I've been tracking this subject since it first began making the rounds in industry literature several years ago. To an RFID proponent, privacy and anonymity are problems to be "solved" through technology. As a marketer sees it, when a product is purchased off the shelf, it would be good to know who bought it, and why.

None of their business, true, but an understandable sentiment to be sure. Medved aligns himself with the marketer, philosophically, and didn't he make that crystal clear!

But as you're aware, the government has all kinds of reasons to want the same information - and if it's available, they'll get it. Just as we're seeing the growth of legislation that prohibits intent-specific crimes, it is conceivable that soon we'll see the prosecution of individuals who display suspicious intent (or at least such persons will be subject to surveillance and placement on do-not-fly lists, among other things).

RFID is central to any such program, and as such, the technology should be deployed carefully and with safeguards. Biodegradable chip media, perhaps? Keep up the good work and keep raising awareness of this issue; it's complex and difficult for most to understand.

Raven,

Mr. Medved's flawed position on RFID surveillance was obvious to many listeners, based on the mail I've received. While Mr. Medved did his best to downplay the serious privacy and civil liberties implications of RFID technology, thousands more people are now aware of the issues. Thanks for your support!

--Liz McIntyre

Hello!

Fascinating subject! I've always wondered why it is that nobody talks about the possibility of having a mandatory system in place where your bio-prints (finger/retinal/iris/etc.) are registered and the information connected to your bank account, medical records, criminal records, etc. instead of using RFID tags (which have too many obvious problems for widespread use). It would be similar to an ATM card in that only a minimal amount of information is carried with you (or on you as is the case with bio-prints). Instead, all of the information is stored in a centralized government database. If it was done in this way, nobody could steal your information (as long as the bio-readers were sufficiently sophisticated... for example I've heard that some of the retinal scanners are capable of reading your pulse as well as your retinal print which would make counterfeit prints next to impossible). If the authorities were looking for a particular suspect, all they would have to do is wait for that person to buy something and they would immediately know where he is. Or they could have facial recognition computer-cameras in place that are constantly looking for suspects. If there were enough scanners and “smart” cameras in place, it would give the government an air omnipresence and omniscience (at least with regard to people’s locations and what they’re doing or buying).

This, to me, is a more likely possibility than widespread RFID implants. What am I missing here? Why hasn’t anyone given this scenario a serious hearing? Thank you for your time.

-Steve

Not sure where else to post this. But if anyone has questions regarding my talk with Liz McIntyre and her article, please feel free to contact us. Posting raving emails about RFID doesn't really help anything. It makes me lose respect for your cause to slam the site with irate emails. I'd be glad to answer any questions about the topic like a grown adult.

http://www.eclipsys.com/News/PressReleases/06-02-09_PanGo-ECLP_strategic_partnership.asp

Hospital Chips

RE: T-Shirt (I hope it's not tagged).

Nice design. I would like to see a design with more bite. I was thinking something on the lines of a bright yellow and having some resmblance to the Gadsden Flag, that's the "Don't tread on me" flag that only one US Navel ship is honered to fly at any one time. It has a rattlesnake divided into thirteen pieces. The new T-shirt design could use a likeness of the VeriChips to make up the segments of the rattle.

Just a thought.

I'm not a political person or one who usually comments on this type of thing. I'm actually studying it for a paper in school, but it is frightening! I knew it was out there, but there are people who are already getting it??? I can't believe, with the current state of affairs in the world and even this country with the government as out of control as they are, that there is anyone crazy enough to want this thing.

What about the 4th Amendment that protects our privacy as well as our "right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects" without probable cause. Now we're just going to volunteer everything about ourselves? Like I said, I'm no fanatic but this scares me.