Long lost prospectus

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is a technology where a small device a RFID uses radio frequency to identify an object. "RFID chips" are usually composed of small circuit and an antenna that collects the radio waves, which in turn power the circuit. RFID is used to track inventory, to control access to sensitive areas and identify personnel in many commercial and government agencies. RFID “chips” have been successfully implanted in animals and humans. The U.S. government has started embedding RFID into the U.S. passports issued to its citizens and is considering embedding “RFID chips” into convicted criminals.

The interesting aspect to the RFID is the amount of interest and application of RFID without consideration of the ethical costs. Using RFID to store and/or collect data from retail customers to a nation’s citizens puts end users privacy at risk. These days identity theft is taking place at alarming rates RFID could cause this crime to evolve in ways yet to be considered. The use of surgically implanted RFIDs in humans invokes many different feelings in many people most of which are negative.

Is RFID a safe and secure technology to entrust our health and private identities to? Is the implementation of RFID into passports and IDs a threat to one’s privacy? Will implanting RFIDs in animals and humans pose a health hazard?