RFID implants, what in the world are those?
RFID, short for Radio-frequency identification, uses electromagnetic fields for identifying tags that are attached to an object. These tags, which can be as small as a grain of rice, can store information. RFID has a variety of uses such as: retail, transportation and logistics, public transport and many more.
However, a very concerning but perhaps revolutionary new use for RFID tags has risen. People such as Mr. Williams, identify themselves as “biohackers”. Biohackers are individuals who augment their physical bodies with new technologies. Williams has an RFID tag implanted into his hand, which allows him access to a variety of functions, including:
- He can open and unlock his door with his hand, due to the information stored in his tag.
- He can unlock his computer, in a similar fashion to (1).
- He can transfer his email details and phone number to someone’s phone by touching his hand to the phone.
- Purchasing food
The RFID tags use NFC (Near Field Communication) to complete these functions, much like our Dutch bank cards when we make a contactless payment. Of course, the functionality depends on the information stored in this tag, and many more useful functions can be unlocked with further development.
Many firms, such as Sweden’s EpiCentre, are offering these implants to their employees. Allowing them to still access the building when forgetting their ID cards, etc. However, this is a cause for concern for many people. Some believe companies may use these to spy on their employees, believing that it is an invasion of privacy. However, the technology is nothing revolutionary, since similar information can be stored on your phone and cards. It only adds a factor of “convenience” (of course, ignoring the pain of the implant).
Microchip implant kits can be purchased online, and it is reported that over 10,000 people are currently adopting this method of “biohacking”. Although the companies are reporting that it is voluntary, it is a scary thought that in the future this may be adopted in more companies.
Myself, I hope that microchip implants will become illegal. It almost seems like we would be treated like cattle if we had these implants storing all our information in our body. Therefore, I would like to hear your opinion on this topic. Do you believe it is even useful, when we could have these chips anywhere else (e.g. mobile phone, smartwatch)? Do you think this may be adopted in the future?
https://www.cnet.com/news/employees-offered-rfid-chip-implants-its-voluntary-for-now/
http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170731-the-surprising-truths-and-myths-about-microchip-implants
