RFID tags--demonic tools?

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There are good uses

RFID offers a simplified version of the three-D bar code scannning tech that companies were looking at for supermarket checkouts.

The idea was that you could just push your cart (minus items that need to be weighed maybe) through an archway and have everything rung up at once. You could then pay cash if you want for the whole order.

This gives you the benefits of RFID without any of the privacy "tagging" concerns/scenarios that the fear-mongers are pushing.

Some of the scenarios offerred (the cops tracking down the kidnappers for instance) show a complete misunderstanding of what RFID is.

A good idea is to think of it like the current anti-theft tags that get put on clothing and other items in stores. The "tag" is actually passive and does not broadcast any information until it is placed into an energizing/receiving RF field. Their effective range is actually quite tiny. (To make them able to broadcast and at any range would make the tags prohibitively expensive.)

Sure we can claim that they stink of big brother, but they provide no more information at a store than they already get with price scanners and customer cards.

Posted by: Robert Crocker   Posted on: 09/08/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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