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Thousands of Swedes Are Inserting Microchips Under Their Skin (npr.org)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from NPR: In Sweden, a country rich with technological advancement, thousands have had microchips inserted into their hands. The chips are designed to speed up users' daily routines and make their lives more convenient -- accessing their homes, offices and gyms is as easy as swiping their hands against digital readers. They also can be used to store emergency contact details, social media profiles or e-tickets for events and rail journeys within Sweden. Proponents of the tiny chips say they're safe and largely protected from hacking, but one scientist is raising privacy concerns around the kind of personal health data that might be stored on the devices.

Around the size of a grain of rice, the chips typically are inserted into the skin just above each user's thumb, using a syringe similar to that used for giving vaccinations. The procedure costs about $180. So many Swedes are lining up to get the microchips that the country's main chipping company says it can't keep up with the number of requests. More than 4,000 Swedes have adopted the technology, with one company, Biohax International, dominating the market. The chipping firm was started five years ago by Jowan Osterlund, a former professional body piercer. After spending the past two years working full time on the project, he is currently developing training materials so he can hire Swedish doctors and nurses to help take on some of his heavy workload.

5 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. Where's my axe? by fyngyrz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Where's my axe?

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
  2. Re:Huge surprise! by Stormwatch · · Score: 1, Insightful

    What the hell happened to that country anyway?!

  3. Re:Huge surprise! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Sweden's Feminizing Boys with Genderless Schools

    Good for then in allowing boys and girls to choose their own position within the range of available behaviours rather than forcing them into one or another. Or would you rather gentle boys be turned into overly agressive men via indoctrination? What happened to the right of people to choose their own personality?

  4. Re: Huge surprise! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yes, it's terrible when a country is prosperous, tolerant, with a high degree of happiness in its population. Sad times indeed.

  5. Re:Huge surprise! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The individual is not responsible for the collective they are part of. Or are all Muslims terrorists now?