RFID and consumer privacy concerns
Do you think consumer privacy concerns will inhibit RFID adoption?
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Kate Gerwig, Editorial Director
This is an excellent question and a valid concern. The real issue here is that
RFID
can be big brother if the manufacturers and stores that use it want it to be. I've worried about
this myself. The technology is here...it's up to the various players to form the business practices
surrounding it. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is one of our best advocates as
consumers. Check out their RFID page at
http://www.epic.org/privacy/rfid for their position on
this along with various other resources. Also check out the presentations and other material at the
recent 2003 RFID policy workshop at MIT (
www.rfidprivacy.org/agenda.php) for some
interesting insight into the subject. Given its lack of widespread adoption we haven't seen many
issues yet, but just wait, they're coming -- especially once the politicians figure out ways to use
it to their advantage.
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This was first published in December 2003