Going to America? Tracker chips on tourists.

[Gadget]

January 26 2005 by Jo Best
Passport? Check. Insurance? Check. RFID chip?

The US Department of Homeland Security has decided to trial RFID tags in an effort to make sure only the right sort of people get across US borders.
The controversial US-VISIT scheme for those visiting the US from abroad already fingerprints holidaymakers on their way into the country and is now adding RFID to the mix in order to improve border management, the department said.

The testing phase will continue until the spring of next year. The exact way RFID will be used with the travellers is not yet known.
RFID chips will be used to track both pedestrians and vehicles entering the US to automatically record when the visitors arrive and leave in the country.

For non-tech people; RFID is Radio Frequency IDentification - a small chip reponds to a radio signal and gives the 'requester' information about it's self. They are fairly new and being used by some retail industries to keep track of shipments and stock in the same way as barcodes are (except you don't need to find the lable and scan it in - just go through a barrier and it reads the chip)
Some high-street clothes retailers are looking into these in a big way - the chips are concealed into the garments.

So: thoughts on being photographed, fingerprinted and tagged on entering the USofA?

[Andy McGregor]

So: thoughts on being photographed, fingerprinted and tagged on entering the USofA?

If you've got nothing to hide what is the problem? And if it reduces terrorism I'm all for it

[uk-jive]

RFID should be coming to a supermarket near you... Soon!

You roll-up to the checkout & the till automatically rings-up your bill.

Tags (each one, unique) will be soon be embedded in most merchandise, including clothing. As soon as you walk through the door of a shop, the retailer will instantly have a profile on you.

Concern was/has been raised at the level of personal detail held on customer loyalty cards. RFID raises the 'issues' to a whole new level.

Big Brother really will be able to watch your every move...

[Andy McGregor]

Big Brother really will be able to watch your every move...

What have we got to fear? Tesco will know how often we buy our cat food. As I said earlier it's only a problem if you've got something to hide. So what if you only buy one bar of soap a year - how will Tesco know you're not getting the rest from hotel rooms?