(iverson's) currentbuzz

Human hands with RFID implant

In research published in the International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, Taiwanese researchers postulate that the tags could help save lives in the aftermath of a major earthquake.

“Office workers would have their identity badges embedded in their RFID tags, while visitors would be given temporary RFID tags when they enter the lobby,” they suggest. Similarly, identity tags for hospital staff and patients could embed RFID technology. ”

The ACLU simply says “Security questions have not been addressed”

As I often write about RFID and the issues it raises for privacy, I have an item about my artist friend Eduardo Kac, who had a chip implanted in his leg many years ago, as part of an art installation in which he raised questions about privacy and technology.

From the archives

http://currentbuzz.org/?p=1844

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• Radio tags could save lives after earthquakes (scienceblog.com)
• Taiwanese Researchers Plug RFIDs As Disaster-Recovery Tools (yro.slashdot.org)

Arphid Watch: class attendance | Beyond The Beyond.

Okay, this story is like “bingo.” It is news from Arizona, where we now expect extreme authoritarianism. It has RFID used to track individuals as Northern Arizona University wants to stick a chip into student IDs so their attendance can be tracked. But are they going to stop with just checking attendence? Why not follow the RFIDs out of class, just to keep an eye on students. Perhaps they can monitor what the students buy, and cut off funds for junk food or cigarettes. What can that hurt, except everyone’s civil liberties and privacy.

The students who may not have developed a strong sense of irony yet have set up a group to protest and publicize the issue on Facebook, that bastion (and I am using irony here) of privacy.

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• RFID Checks Student Attendance in Arizona (yro.slashdot.org)
• Northern Arizona to Test Attendance Policy (usnews.com)
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Beyond The Beyond Just another WordPress weblog

Arphid Watch: carbon nanotube RFID labels

* By Bruce Sterling Email Author

* March 27, 2010 |

* 12:52 pm |

* Categories: Arphid Watch

*At last: cheap throwaway possibly toxic tracking labels that are both “arphids” and “buckyjunk” at the same time.

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/24852/?nlid=2850&a=f

via Arphid Watch: carbon nanotube RFID labels | Beyond The Beyond.

There are, of course, purely secular reasons against forced implantation of RFID chips and in favor of policies that particularly protect the truly vulnerable.

via Arphid Watch: Battling the Antichrist by Outlawing Microchips | Beyond The Beyond.

Let’s not get in to all of the potential sinister uses at this point and just be happy that we can play with RFID tags. The price is a penny under $100, with availability in late March.

via OhGizmo! » Archive » DIY RFID.