Blocker Tags to Protect Privacy From RFID Tags

geekee writes "According to an article at CNET, RSA Security is developing a 'blocker' tag that disrupts RFID tag transmissions, protecting a person's privacy from those who would abuse RFID technology. The blocker tag would be embedded in your watch, for instance. This method has an advantage over destroying the RFID tags after purchase because useful information on the tag could help consumers (e.g. laundry instructions)." According to the RSA scientist quoted in the article, privacy concerns regarding RFID have been overblown, but it's still worth being proactive when finding ways to defeat the tags.

Comments

Nah, it will be like another set of pricacy tools.

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Remember "private" phone listings? What a scam that was. The phone company sold your name and number to direct marketing creeps who then annoyed you day and night. To help you out, the phone company sold you an "unlisted number", which kept your friends and relatives from being able to contact you. The phone creeps could still get your number and you still got annoying sales calls. The phone company then sold you caller ID and creeps ID blocking. So the cycle rolled, with extra money for the phone company and the rest of the world as screwed as possible.

I have no faith in a blocking tag. Retailers will set off alarms every time you leave a store if you block their signals and readers will be made to defeat them in time. All you will get out of this evil technology is more grief, just like the phone system. The root of the problem, customer data retention and sale, is what needs to be addressed.