With all due respects to well intentioned privacy advocates, the manner in which Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and related technologies have been associated with “Big Brother” scenarios is unfortunate and often blatantly incorrect.

The tags often targeted by privacy hawks, passive UHF RFID tags used by retailers, do not work in close proximity to liquids...including people. RFID readers are highly regulated by the FCC and ETSI. To suggest that individuals can be tracked by bombarding them with RF waves to read tags embedded in their clothes is to deny the laws of physics.

RFID has been around for decades…and anyone who has used it has benefited from this technology. Keyless entry systems, security cards, electronic toll tags, and contactless transit cards are just a few examples of RFID technologies.

To quote Scott McNealy, Sun Microsystems founder and former CEO; “you have no privacy, get over it”. Anyone that uses cell phones, credit cards, or the internet has given up their privacy long ago. We accept and adopt technology when we feel it improves our quality of life. When organizations apply technology to improve operations, track assets, and secure environments, we all benefit. RFID is one of many technologies that can be used to support these initiatives.

RFID tags are not “Spychips”; the reasons put forth to suggest otherwise are simply not based fact or reality. Individuals truly concerned about consumer privacy should focus their efforts elsewhere and give up many of the conveniences of life that we have all come to accept.