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Sun Joins RFID Program

Posted by michael on from the tag-'em-and-bag-'em dept.

per unit analyzer writes: "C|Net is running an interesting article on Sun's recent affiliation with MIT's Auto-ID initiative. The article is a layman's intoduction to passive RF tag technology. The concept is to replace the ubiquitous UPC bar code with a 5-cent RF-tag. When hit with the right excitation signal, the tag emits its own RF signal encoded with a 96-bit number. The privacy concerns are obvious; items people buy could be tracked anywhere they happen to go. How would you like the security scanners at airports or even the local high school be able to generate a complete inventory of the consumer products carried by each person coming through the door? (OK Johnny, hand over that pr0n magazine in your backpack...) The Auto-ID ilk includes many of the major consumer product manufacturers and retailers. Incidently, the American Radio Relay League is also currently fighting an uphill battle to keep the RF-tag technology of Audo-ID Technology Board member Savi Technology out of the 70cm Amateur Radio band in the US." We have a couple of earlier stories about RFID tags.

2 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Imagine this... by Timid_Monkey · · Score: 4, Funny
    Just think if these tags are somehow included in everything including clothing. Now, let's say I'm scanning people (with or without their knowledge). You could know as much as whether or not the girl next to you has a Victoria's Secret thong on, or some Jockey's brief. Perhaps even whether she has on any at all.


    And same in reverse. What if it's a laundry day and you have to go commando? Do you really want people to know?

  2. You didn't sign a contract to give back true ID... by Futurepower(tm) · · Score: 5, Funny


    RF ID tags are not a big problem for those who don't want to participate. It's like Internet browser cookies. You can let anyone put cookies on your hard drive. But, you didn't sign a contract with web site owners to give back the same cookies that they recorded. You could have software that gave back, not the correct cookies, but something subtly different.

    Similarly, you can allow them to irradiate your possessions with radio frequency signals. But you don't have to give back the signals they expect. If they ping your possessions, your own electronics can respond that you are carrying three large elephants from the zoo. If anyone questions you about this, you can confess that you have never stolen anything before, but that you carried the elephants away in an unusual moment of weakness.

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