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Mexican Attorney General Gets Microchip in Arm

Posted by timothy on from the but-anything's-removable dept.

novakreo writes "Rafael Macedo de la Concha, Mexico's Attorney-General, now has a non-removable microchip in his arm, to track his movements and to give him access to a new crime database, according to Bloomberg. The article says that eventually around 160 Mexican officials will have a chip implanted." (Wired and CNN are both running the very similar Reuters report, too.)

9 of 410 comments (clear)

  1. Not necessarily by brunes69 · · Score: 4, Informative

    The technology exists such that they could in theory make this thing only operate when pysically attached to the body ( say, powered off of blood or bloodflow ), and only operate when in contact with his specific blood type.

    So to use it, a perpetraitor would have to a) Kidnap him, b ) cut off his arm, c) surgically graft the thing into someone else with the same blood type.

    Hopefully by that point they'd have de-activated his chip.

    I imagine in a few years we'd even be able to make these things DNA specific.

  2. Re:I for one... by no+reason+to+be+here · · Score: 2, Informative

    Federali wouldn't be a word in Spanish. Maybe Italian or Latin, but not Spanish. I think the Spanish word would be Federales.

    --
    my pet machine
  3. Wow! Another "cyborg"! by djkitsch · · Score: 2, Informative

    It looks like he's giving Professor Kevin Warwick a run for his money...

    Next step: interfacing with computers using mind control!

    --
    sig:- (wit >= sarcasm)
  4. Upgrades by iCharles · · Score: 3, Informative
    I've always had a problem with implantable technologies for non-medical purposes (i.e. not pacemakers, replacement valves, etc.). Basically, you wind up with
    • Having to make all sorts of backward compatibility on a single standard.
    • Competing standards requiring multiple implants. (and you thought browser wars were bad!)
    • Surgery every few years to upgrade (would Best Buy take an old implant back?)
    • A lot of old chips collecting in your arm, leg, neck, etc.
  5. Re:Next election by huge · · Score: 2, Informative
    This guy seems to be assuming that he will never be our of office. An unremovable microchip giving access to a crime database seems a bit out of place for a private citizen.
    The article clearly states that it can be deactivated once he leaves the office.
    --
    -- Reality checks don't bounce.
  6. Re:Hostage protection? by TopShelf · · Score: 3, Informative

    Exactly - and in much of Central and South America, kidnapping for ransom is a large and growing problem. I sometimes travel internationally on business, and there's no way I'd head down there these days. Fortunately for me, I usually head to Scandanavia. I'll let the Swedish Bikini Team take me hostage anytime...

    --
    Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
  7. Re:Hostage protection? by SEWilco · · Score: 3, Informative

    The chip can only be detected at a distance of a few meters. It would help you in getting rescued only if the rescuers are waving a detector over everyone in the room.

  8. Re:Hostage protection? by Kevin+Mitnick · · Score: 2, Informative

    Mexico is definitely in North America. You, know that trade deal you guys signed ~10 years ago, the one with the giant sucking sound? Canada-US-Mexico? NAFTA? North American Free Trade Agreement? ok, you got it now!

  9. Re:Hostage protection? by Kevin+Mitnick · · Score: 2, Informative

    alright, just don't try calling any Mexicans Central Americans, trust me.