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Gillette Pulls RFID Tags In UK Amid Protests
akb writes "Indymedia UK is reporting that after protests against the trial of RFID tags by Gillette at a Tesco store in Cambridge, increasing press coverage, a boycott, and the growing mobilisation of campaigners against the intrusive use of the technology, Gillette have withdrawn their trial. RFID (Radio Frequency ID) tags are small tags containing a microchip which can be 'read' by radio sensors over short distances (for background see SchNEWS Feature / 2 part Guardian Article)."
Gillette is going to know where you shave in the morning?
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Eyes have the potential problem of a thief scanning your house to see what you have inside. Slashdotters unite! We must band together to ban optic nerves!
But what about the privacy issues? Do you really want everyone knowing what kind of razors you shave with? My god, man, that's one step away from 1984!
Yeah... if you think Luddite ultra-right-wing militia men are paranoid right now, wait until RFID becomes widespread. UPC codes will become a relic of the past in their conspiracy theories.
Try fluttering your eyelashes at him.
And that is one more job for us humans too. Like the economy isn't bad enough. Might as well replace the whole workforce with a small shell script while you're at it...
Someone set us up the bomb, so shine we are!
I don't know. I always thought my black London Fog was kinda dapper.
And hey, tin foil hats are a very practical way to keep your head cool and avoid sunstroke. Good protection against pigeon "bombed" too. I always figured that was the real reason the aliens radioed the fillings in my teeth telling me to wear one.
I guess in the future they can just radio my underwear.
KFG
My local Boots (UK wide Chemists) has pulled most brands of blades from their shelving because of theft.
... hmm does anyone see the obvious glitch in their new security protocol?
At 6 for a pack of 4 or 5 blades you can see why they are trying to introduce tracking. In the meantime, if I want to purchase I have to go across to the perfumery counter (on the other side of the store) and ask for the item.
Then I wander down to the checkout with them.
--- This meme is memory intensive
It is not a simple case of removing the tag when you leave the store. These tags will be sewn behind labels and in seams.
Some of the tags are read-write. What is written to the tag at the point of purchase is up to the retailer. Date sold, price paid, customer number (linked to credit records).
In addition it is possible to not only identify the product number but also configure a serial number.
So as you walk through the door of the store, You can be identified by your shoes and jacket. The store now that you only ever buy during the sale, you have a bad credit payment history and that you wareing your wife's underware.
slashnik
You are paranoid.
I live in Cambridge. I picked up a packet of razors. Now I have radiation burns and smallpox, a man follows me with a camera all day and people stop me in the street and their children say 'look mummy, there's that nasty Osama Bin Hussein.' My dog has died, my wife has left me and I have had to grow beard. Who do I sue ? WHO DO I SUE ??!
"in March, Benetton was also forced to announce it was not about to insert 15m RFID tags into its Sisley clothing range after an avalanche of consumer complaints"
I think I might notice a 15 metre chip on my T-Shirt...
I want a bunch of these RFID tags, and a handheld scanner to keep at home. I'd put one on my wallet, one on my cellphone, one on my glasses, one on every remote control, etc.
Then, when I can't find one of the above items (which happens, like, every 15 minutes), I can just whip out my scanner and track the blighter down. No more hunting for keys when you're going out! No more losing remote controls in the couch!
Okay, so I actually have no idea if RFID scanners are capable of this or not. But it's a neat idea, no?
... Gillette pull RFID tags in UK after several cutting remarks.
Thank you, thank you. I'm here to Monday.
... of a RFID device with overpowered, omnidirectional antennae, capable of reseting all RFID tags in a store to "Durex Extra Strength Condoms:$999.99:DATE(NOW):CASHIER(CURRENT)" with the press of a button!
Hate me!
They'd notice if you stole an employee.
http://twitter.com/onion2k
Hmm... now where did I put that razor, OH YEAH! I shoved it up Big Brother's ASS! Thank goodness for RFID, or I would have never tracked it back there.
Imagine the fun...
Walk into a department store someday soon, with a small foil pouch full of RFID tags stripped from popular and expensive items that you own and kept the receipts... maybe a few expensive watches, a couple fancy consumer electronics, etc... wander around the store for a half hour, hanging out near those shelves... being certain to handle some of those items suspiciously and having your picture taken by closed-caption cameras... take the tags out of the pouch... then walk out without going thru the registers.
WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP the alarm sounds... you get arrested and searched for shoplifting... and upon proving that the tags are from objects you own and purchased, and with the help of the ACLJ or ACLU, you sue the store for false arrest and negligent use of their new fancy technology...
*Smirk*...
Even if you don't win any money, such tactics would certainly help push the careful use of RFID deactivation. Civil disobedience is likely to be a big problem for RFID promoters and marketers.
--Brandon / Split Infinity Music