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Walmart Begins Rollout of RFID and EPC Tags
paroneayea writes "There's a lot about RFID tags in the news today. Wal-Mart is officially beginning to use RFID tags on its merchandise. We've heard about Wal-Mart's plans to introduce RFID tags in the past, but this is the first time that this is actually being put into use. To quote the article: 'Wal-Mart is billing this as a trial, but Simon Langford, Wal-Mart's manager of RFID strategies, told RFID Journal that this is the beginning of the company's planned roll-out of EPC (Electronic Product Code) technology.' Meanwhile, California does something right for a change and introduces a bill that will limit the use of RFID tags in stores and libraries to protect the privacy of customers. IBM, which plans to be a major manufacturer of RFID tags, bashes critics of RFID tags as 'anti-retail.'"
That said, I personally go to Walmart once a year and buy regular commodity crap like toiletries, household supplies, etc. Plus they usually will change my car's oil for $10 less than the other guys. But I go in there knowing I've already checked my soul at the door. RFID is the least of my worries.
At first, I thought you were joking.
Sure, label them as "the RFID industry" to distance yourself, and dehumanize them.
"Dehumanize them"? Wal-Mart is a corporate entity. IBM is a corporate entity. They aren't human in the first place, therefore I *can't* de-humanize them.
The problem is when we *humanize* these megacorporations. Then, we are in danger of expecting them to behave in a humane way. The mom & pop store on the corner can be trusted exactly as much as its owner can be trusted. A shareholder-owned corporation can be trusted to do one thing and one thing only: attempt to make money for its shareholders. Remember when Wal-Mart used to be the "Made in the USA" company? When that quit being profitable, it quit being a slogan.
Distributors, who are people, will decide when, where, and how.
Distributors are people? If I can see one and talk to one, sure. Last time I was at Lowe's, I talked to an *employee* of a distributor. He would have no more control over RFID tags than I would. No, it's companies -- who are NOT people -- who will decide when, where, and how. And I don't like it.
Stressed? Me? Of course not. Stress is what a rubber band feels before it breaks, silly.
Don't shop at Wal-Mart. I mean, really. For all the bitching here on /. about MS, Wal-Mart is a MUCH bigger, MUCH nastier company. I haven't been in to a Wal-Mart for many years, and I haven't missed it one bit.
"Why is the RFID industry so scared of this lady?"
Because enough people will take what she says as absolute truth and not actually look into the issue themselves. Particular to this is using derogatory terms -- you mentioned the use of "God's work" as an epithet, but what else would you call "spy chips". Mob mentality -- if you convince enough people that some object or power is evil and dangerous, even the safest, most harmless devices will get banned in the backlash.
There are definitely scary, privacy-invading uses of RFID tags -- but there are also beneficial uses that don't invade privacy. The problem is not the tags, in and of themselves. It is in the data that can be stored on them and who can access that data. She does have valid points, and the RFID industry would do well to heed her concerns. Her aim does not appear to be working to find the optimal path that works for both sides -- it is totally consumer oriented.
I was taking one day at a time, but then several days got together and ambushed me. (from a Rhymes with Orange comic)
So Walmart is using RFID tags to track their merchandice.
Maybe they should use greencards to track their illegally hired under paid immigrant employees.
And a large number of folks in this country think that "doing God's work" is a Good Thing, and would take offense at "God's work" being used as a negative epithet.
Which a large number of people find offensive.
Neither your offense nor theirs confers any behavioral obligations upon the other.
As it happens I really don't like yellow. I don't know why, I just don't. It offends me. I do, however, recognized that as my problem, not the problem of the people who paint their kitchens yellow or drive yellow cars.
It seems to me that if you wish to be effective in doing God's work (and there are some God fearing people who find that idea offensive. It is taking the Lord in vain. He is perfectly capable of doing his own work), the first thing you have to do is learn not to offended by people who take exception to that. Anger ( and offense is a form of anger) is not one of the Christian tools.
Peace, brother.
KFG
The point made (parent thread) about CASPIAN is right on: if you are leading you never acknowledge the competition as it only gives them power they otherwise lack; when they are already on par or beating you, you mention them. The fact than CASPIAN is mentioned at all, and particularly in disparaging, ad hominae attacks already means that the issues raised legitimate and important enough that they no only can't be simply ignored. It also suggests that the pro-RFID has only self-serving economic arguments against them with no constructive strategy to address the real issues. They've failed to properly do a "stakeholder analysis".
I strongly believe that RFID can be a really good thing for all involved but only if the privacy issues are dealt with structurally and architecturally through standards definitions and legal protections.