RFID chip dangers non-existent

If the Americans of the 19th century behaved as many Americans do today, we would still be a nation of farmers, living somewhat like the Amish with their reliance on horses and hand power. This is because an exaggerated aversion to risk shapes discussion (from missile defense to free trade) in ways that the more confident America of the past could not have imagined. New technologies in particular excite this aversion, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) leads the pack when it comes to exaggerated concern.

There is no plausible scenario where RFID poses a threat to privacy. The most extreme fears expressed about RFID seem to be based on films like Minority Report, in which an omnipresent state tracks its citizens’ every move. Governments and giant corporations, we are asked to believe, will implant RFID chips into underwear and soup cans, allowing them to invade privacy at will and amass vast amounts of data on individual behavior.

The problem with this scenario and others like it is that they do not make any sense technologically or commercially. A brief review of the technology shows why risk is miniscule. RFID technology involves a tiny radio device that can be attached to an item, person, or animal. The device emits a radio signal that contains a small amount of data – a serial number or other unique identifier and perhaps a few other details. The small tags envisioned for commercial use in particular have very limited capabilities.

Hey, don't look at me, I'm just a science fiction fan.