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Fear RFID
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is quickly growing and your privacy as well as your security will soon be at risk. The REAL ID Act was set into law in May 2005, framed as a way to improve the security of our country, although many disagree. The REAL ID Act requires driver's licenses to include a common machine-readable technology (think RFID), within 3 years.
Corporations benefit from the use of these chips to monitor inventory levels but they have also thought of new ways to use the technology which may violate your right to privacy.
News: Walmart will start using RFID in clothes starting August 1st 2010.
Understand the Impacts of RFID on Your Privacy
- SpyChips Web Site
Spychips "make[s] a stunningly powerful argument against plans for RFID being mapped out by government agencies, retail and manufacturing companies." -Evan Schuman, CIO Insight
Popular Books on the Privacy Concerns of RFID Chips - Corporations have plans on how to leverage this technology.
RFID Basics
RFID: Radio Frequency IDentification
From what distance can an RFID chip be read? RFID tags can be read up to 30 feet away depending on the receiver. A range of 300 feet is possible if the chip is powered by a battery. How far is your house from the sidewalk?
Health Concerns: RFID chips do transmit a signal, but proponents argue it is no worse than a radio signal.
How are the RFID chips activated? The RFID readers send a signal which modulates the chip.
Is the RFID technology new? No, it has been around for more than 30 years.
What frequency is used by RFID chips? UHF (~900 MHz).
What is the cost for RFID chips? Quantities of a million tags can cost under 25 cents. The RFID chip market is expected to explode when prices reach 5 cents per chip.
What is the cost of an RFID reader? Cost depends on the capabilities and distance the device can read chips from. I've seen prices from $150 to over $1,000.
Protect Your RFID Identity - We may be forced to use RFID but be cautious.
New credit cards are being distributed with RFID capabilities.
- RFID Shield
The RFID Shield is a protective sleeve that prevents anyone from reading private information stored on your RFID cards and passports. - The Envelope
The Emvelope® Wallet Insert is an innovative, patent-pending product that provides a simple, convenient, and easy way to contain the wireless signals being emitted by RFID chips. - DIFRWear
Our RFID Blocking Wallets ensure that cards with RFID tags within the wallet can NOT be read while the wallet is closed. This gives you the ability to control when, how and by whom your cards are accessed. To allow the RFID tag in the card to be read
Who is Pushing RFID Technology - Numerous Business Opportunities Exist
RFID has the potential to improve business management throughout the value chain of a company.
- The Government, National ID
Currently, RFID is most likely the technology that will be used to support the requirements of "The REAL ID Act" passed in May of 2005. Within 3 years all forms of national identification will requre the ID to use a common machine readable technology - EPC Global
MIT/University of Cambridge - Verichip
They will sell you RFID implants for your own protection and security. Patient Identification, Infant Protection, Wander Prevention, Asset Tracking (etc). - Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility
AIM is a global trade association comprising providers of components, networks, systems, and services that manage the collection and integration of data with information management systems. Serving more than 900 members in 43 countries, AIM is dedica - CheckPoint Systems
Promoting the use of RFID tags in situations, like item level tagging, which is not recommended by privacy experts. - Reva Systems
September 2006, REVA systems named one of the top ten companies to watch. - Compex Inc.
Take a look at the SCARY implications of RFID techology. Follow their Solutions link and select RFID technology.
RFID Publications and Web Sites
- RFID Journal
Claims to be "THE WORLD'S RFID AUTHORITY". The site has a lot of information on RFID Technology. - More RFID
MoreRFID, one of the leading RFID information portals, announced to introduce a free digital magazine, Digital RFID Magazine. It is a next generation digital magazine using latest rich media technology. The magazine is published bi-monthly and reader - RFID Gazette
Radio Frequency Identification news and commentary. - NIST RFID Secuirty
If you are going to use the technology, be sure to review the National Institute of Standards and Technology's "Guidelines for Securing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Systems" document.
Ethics and Privacy
Will you control your RFID identity or will it be in an information system somewhere? Who will have access to this information system? Can your RFID identity be stolen?
- Insight
The Ultimate Privacy Argument Against RFID By Evan Schuman, Ziff Davis Internet October 21, 2005 - RFID SwitchBoard
Privacy, Ethics and Regulation By Rakesh Kumar Courtesy Wipro Technologies. - Center for Computing and Social Resonsibility
Tag Ethics Originally published as ETHIcol in the IMIS Journal Volume 14 No 5 (October 2004)
Get Your RFID Implants or at a miniumum, a RFID tattoo. - Only slightly bigger than a piece of rice.
States in the U.S. are moving to draft legislation preventing forced Human RFID implants. Wisconsin is the first state to pass a law.
- Insurance Industry
Will you need to have an RFID implant to get insurance in the future? - Want to Keep Your Job, Get Your Implant
The company now requires employees to use VeriChip human implantable microchips to enter a secure data center. - RFID Tracking Newborns
RFID is being used to keep track of newborns, another good reason to choose a home-birth. So far the technology is used on the bracelets for now. - RFID Tattoos
Now testing process on cattle. Possible uses? Tag military members.
RFID Technology Quick Poll
Do you believe corporations will abuse the RFID technology and compromise your privacy?
RFID Problems
This technology does have some problems that the industry is trying to solve.
- RFID Credit Card Flaws
Vulnerabilities in RFID-enabled credit cards - e-passports Flawed
Critics state the new e-passports are flawed. - RFID Kills .com
More commentary on the dangers of encoding personal information using RFID technology. - Problems with RFID
An overview of technical, privacy and ethical problems with the technology.
RFID FAQs
- Wikipedia RFID
If all else fails, check wikipedia.com - Spy.org RFID FAQ
Answers to frequent questions.
RFID Hacking - Don't Feel so Secure
- Hacking RFID
Just because they told you your information is safe, don't believe them. - RFID Hacking Tools
RFDump is a backend GPL tool to directly interoperate with any RFID ISO-Reader to make the contents stored on RFID tags accessible. - RFID Guardian
Technology to spoof or block RFID transmissions.
Concerned? Take Action - We all have a voice.
- CASPIAN
CASPIAN has proposed legislation, The RFID Right to Know Act, that would require mandatory labeling to inform consumers when a product contains an RFID tag. It would also prohibit companies from linking the chips with personally identifying informati - ACLU's View of the REAL ID Act
Inform yourself about the implications of the REAL ID Act.
RFID Books at Amazon - Learn more about the technology
Conclusions
As with any technology, a technology can be used for good or bad. RFID can improve business processes, improve security, improve health care but what is sacrificed to realize these benefits?
Share your knowledge about the ethical uses of technology by building a lens. It's easy!
Visit my Lensography for a look at other lenses I have contributed to the Squidoo community.
Thanks for taking the time to look over this lens,
--Todd
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Lens Feedback - Is the content well balanced?
Excellent lens on RFID tech and the possible vulnerabilities that it may present. Touches on both my interest in new technology and privacy issues. SquidLiked and Favorited the lens.
RFID and other tracking software have their pros and cons so we just have to be careful when using these technologies. There's one kind of tracking technology that I find very useful: fixed asset tracking software. These software help businesses monitor their sales and inventory. Drop by the link for an overview of these tracking software. Thanks!
Great resource on RFID! I think the benefit of identification technologies outweigh privacy issues. In fact, they also contribute to privacy and security. Take for example the budding biometrics technology that brings enhanced security for sensitive files and information at our fingertips. Check out the link to learn more!
As with all things, tracking technologies such as RFID can be put to good or bad use. Discerning people just have to exercise discretion and carefully weigh the risks and benefits of using these technologies. I, for one, support tracking software which help businesses monitor assets and important transactions. Here's a guide on asset tracking software for those who'd like to learn more about this helpful technology. Thanks!
Todd, I put this page on my blog, in the blogroll, because I seem to have a lot of readers interested in the topic and this is a really good page. Best regards!
informative lens..this lens provide valuable informations on Radio Frequency Identification..this lens provide an ultimate resources on RFID..thanks for sharing such technical stuff and 5 stars rated to your lens..here is the similar kind of useful information on Biometric ID , an interesting site about Biometrics, Biometric ID and Biometric fingerprint recognition., please visit us..
5 Stars for doing a lens about RFID!
PLEASE check out my Lens! People are just asleep at the wheel! No North American Union!
American
We have to preserve our freedom.Take Action
The truth is that there is nothing to worry about with privacy. You leave a footprint every time you use a credit card or a loyalty card. Every channel you select on your cable box is logged. It's all in the name of improving sales. The big bad government doesn't care about you.
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