RFID Will Be Unavoidable
January 29, 2006 | 8 Comments
In response to my RFID Fears, Jon commented about being able to “zap” RFID as a solution:
Look at the bright side. Electronic devices fail. Sometimes on their own, and sometimes with the help of a little device like this.
This is cool, but short sighted.
Currently a lot of work is going into getting RFID into US Passports. Most proposals so far have failed and we keep getting a delay on the inevitable here, but that’s one you won’t be able to zap. How long before state drivers licenses follow in those footsteps?
American Express has an RFID chip in it, probably zapping that would be bad if you care about the card, me I just switched away from the damn thing. But, if other CC providers get in on the game there may be nowhere to switch.
Or how about Speedpass for the gas station?
Or how about EasyPass to get through toll booths faster?
It’s very important that we realize these things are going to enter our lives on the basis of adding convenience. You’ll be promised a discount, or the ability to do something faster/easier. One potential big market is in replacing the stupid customer appreciation discount tags we all have on our keychain for grocery stores.
The reality is RFID is coming, we’ll all have a few tags, and the potential misuse of this is tremendous.
Tags: american express, credit card, easypass, freedom, passport, passports, RFID, speedpass, toll, toll booth