National ID Chip Implant

[lindagarrette]

It uses passive RFID technology and works just like the injectable ID chips used by animal shelters to tag pets. Applied Digital Solutions, the makers of VeriChip, received the go-ahead from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market it. Could contain pass codes, PINS, airport boarding pre-clearance data, drivers license, credit check, all the information now carried around mentally or on a card. Voluntary, of course. People could still choose to go through the hassle of waiting in line. There are quite a few links on this concept, the vast majority negative because of "big brother watching or controlling you." I'm for it. Pandora

[GAHD]

Ya know, I may get on of those if they ever become truly useful. Once it can store more than a few megabits I'd be quite happy putting one in my forearm and hacking the thing's programming to the extream

[Freethinker]

Will they be reprogramable? Or will you need to have an old one removed and new one injected if you change banks?

We started ointo this discussion with RFID regarding the new "Unique ID RFID" technology that Walmart is requiring all of their suppliers to adopt. RFID tags that not only idetify what kind of product it is attached to, like the UPC does now, but that specific peice of goods. Each bottle of soda would have it's own unique ID#. A six pack would have six unique ID# plus one for the pack together.

It would be possible with a unique RFID tag on the person and one for each thing that person has on them, to also know who else that person ahs come in contact with. "Ah Frank Jones met with Sue Smith between 6-8 yesterday because at 6:00 SHE had xwz in her possestion and at 8:00 he was scanned with it".

But as I am allergic to penicillin, it would be great to have that data available at all times with an imbedded ID. But the idea that the gov will know where I am and what I am doing continually is bad. My file is already big enough!

As always it seem to be based on which side is in charge. Judiciary activisim appointing Bush is good if you are REpublican, bad if you are Democrat (or believe the Pres should be elected and not appointed). But RE women's right to Choose, it is good if you are a Demo and bad if Repuke.

[lindagarrette]

Ideally the chip would contain only an id number. All other information would be stored externally.

[GAHD]

Nah, Idealy you'd have the chip implanted and be able to store data on it; going to/from work and being able to have the data encrypted in your forarm would be idea for me. Also, I wouldn't have to carry around my Swipe-card; just run my arm past the detector and voila, access to the office.

[Freethinker]

The advantage behind the currently popular in the US "Swipe" card and the more popular in Europe (I'm told) "Smart Card" is exactly this.

The Swipe card has just enough memory storage for a reference number. Then it has to do a lookup to a remote data base.

A Smart Card can store signifcantly more data. You can actually store "funds" in it. A transaction does not ahve to communicate to a remote database, the card would have full authorization and funding info.

Take some medical information. Do you want to wait and even hope that they can connect to a remote database and get a response in time to know that they can not give you penicillin? Or would you prefer that that data be stored on the ID chip and provide the info instantly?

Plus it can have a much greater level of security. The big move to Smart Cards in Europe was based on security issues.

In Europe there was a popular scam of making a copy of a swipe card when you were buying something. The clerk would have a 2nd machine interconnected and intercept the card data and copy it onto a blank card. For some reasoon this scam never took off in the US.

So Europe made a fast switch to Smart Cards.

US has not had the motivation.

[infamous]

Ahaaaa, the power of information, remember that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. 666 anyone?

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by infamous

Ahaaaa, the power of information, remember that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. 666 anyone?

Huh? Well, then any god must be the ultimate corrupted being.

[infamous]

I didn't bring God into this discussion, you did. Careful, he may be listening. I just feel a little uneasy by the thought of so much control. You realize that those with power have always exercized their will upon the masses. To what ends will such control have on humanity?

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by infamous

I didn't bring God into this discussion, you did. Careful, he may be listening.

Hogwash. It was a natural conclusion to your "666" reference.

I just feel a little uneasy by the thought of so much control. You realize that those with power have always exercized their will upon the masses. To what ends will such control have on humanity?

It does not automatically follow that information = power. It depends on what kind of information, and what kind of power. Maybe we are talking about information about how you react to certain medicines, and you're lying in a hospital in a coma? Or your daughter is missing and she can be found with an id tag?

All technology have good uses and bad applications. Usually both will be exploited.