Big Brother is Watching....

RFID technology, also known as Radio Frequency Identification Technology, is a technology that was created in 1948, but has in just the past two decades become popular for use in many commercial and government applications and is expected to grow in the near future. RFID technology includes the use of an RFID tag that can be placed on or in an animal, person or object. This tag can be tracked using and RFID reader or scanner which uses radio waves to communicate between the tag and the reader. This tag can tell the reader all of the information that is saved on it including inventory numbers, file names, expiration dates, shipment dates, patient information, location – the possibilities are endless. The information can be read by a scanner or reader from just a few feet away, while there are some scanners that can read/scan tags much further away. Any information that one chooses can be stored on a RFID chip and transmitted. Because of the wide variety of uses and its flexibility, a number of industries have started using RFID technology.

Although the use of RFID technology can provide many benefits, a number of ethical issues regarding its use have come into question in all areas. The main ethical concerns of the use of RFID technology focus on privacy and security. Opponents argue that the government, retailers, and even criminals may be able to start using scanners to track ones movements, monitor their possessions, and maintain records about everything that one does. TheFreeDictionary.com (encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/rfid) lists the four main privacy concerns regarding RFID technology as:

-The purchaser of an item will not necessarily be aware of the presence of an RFID tag or be able to remove it;

-An RFID tag can be read at a distance without the knowledge of the individual;

-If a tagged item is paid for by credit card or in conjunction with use of a loyalty card, then it would be possible to tie the unique ID of that item to the identity of the purchaser; and

-RFID Tags create, or are proposed to create, globally unique serial numbers for all products, even though this creates privacy problems and is completely unnecessary for most applications.

The ethical question is not what information people may be able to obtain about you, but what they are able to do with it. According to the Electronic Privacy Information Center (epic.org), “The proposed uses of RFID tags pose exponentially greater risks to personal privacy. Many technology experts predict the development of a seamless network of millions of RFID receivers strategically placed around the globe in airports, seaports, highways, distribution centers, warehouses, retail stores, and consumers' homes, all of which are constantly reading, processing, and evaluating consumers’ behaviors and purchases. In addition to undermining a consumer's ability to enjoy a lifestyle in relative anonymity, critics of the technology counter that the information gathered by RFID readers could be obtained by the government for surveillance or monitoring the activities of citizens, or even misused by hackers and criminals. Even more, the ever-expanding use of RFID chips would leave no aspect of life safe from the prying eyes of retail and corporate giants. Chips integrated into commonplace products such as floor tiles, shelf paper, cabinets, appliance, exercise equipment, and grocery and packaged products would allow even our most intimate activities to be monitored”. Proponents for RFID technology believe that issues of privacy and security can be addressed and that the benefits of this technology outweigh the detriments.

What do you think? Do the benefits outweigh the detriments? Will this lead to a society where "big brother is watching?

~Angela

For more info check out http://epic.org/