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Introduction The employmet of RFID is abundant today and its use is only gaining popularity. The application of these tiny devices continues to steam roll down the tracks however, one issue being debated today is the “reality aspect” of RFID, which is privacy. Many question where we draw the line between security and privacy as it relates to the embedment of RFID in adults and children.

Uses RFID is used extensively in many arenas such as: retail stores, ship yards, and grocery stores, to name a few. Their main purpose is to track inventory and provide location. So is it possible to embed these tiny devices into humans? Absolutely, and its application is either defined as a protective measure or health measure.

The Debate No matter what the reason, the debate over personal privacy is still a hot issue. With the onslaught of social media, global positioning, and technology to connect anywhere anytime has made it difficult for anyone to keep their privacy anything but private. With things like identify theft on the rise, some people are taking measures to protect their information, not provide another means to access it.

RFID tags are easily read by accessible readers which can be purchased off the shelf. These readers can pick up a signal from an RFID tag from 10 feet away or further depending on the type. This reason alone is cause for people to believe their privacy is in jeopardy. For medical purposes, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of RFID in humans. However, the risk of a patient’s privacy increases as medical data can be stored on the chip allowing it to be read from a distance anonymously. Furthermore, even if the chip only contains a unique number and no personal data, the data can be linked back to the storage database. If the database were to be compromised, it could reveal a whole lot more than just one patients record. Although the concept of implanting a human with RFID can reduce the risk of medical errors, the question remains, does it justify the risk of an individual’s privacy possibly being breached? RFID is used for tracking and inventory. Shipping yards use it for cargo, supermarkets use it to track groceries, and retail clothing stores use it to track their clothing. This is another reason why implanting into a human or child becomes a privacy issue. In Japan, infants are being implanted with chips for the same reason, to track. Its expectation is to reduce the number of children being abducted or switched at birth with another family. This may seem like a good argument, but anti-RFID activist believe this will lead to government using the technology to track individual’s whereabouts. At this point in time, passports are issued with RFID chips, however, prevention of data being read can be blocked but encasing the passport in a wire mesh which causes interference. This may seem like an easy fix for passports, but to use this same technology on a human may not be feasible.

RFID has many uses and is obviously a great way to control flow and inventory of goods. However, as its use continues to grow so does the concern over individual privacy. The physical security of an individual or their health seems like a reasonable reason for implanting RFID into a human. But the privacy of the individual must also be considered. Until the privacy issues can be resolved and the threat of individual privacy exterminated, anti-RFID groups will continue to plead their case and concerns.