Micro-chip Tags spark privacy worries
Pastor Dale Morgan
Micro-chip Tags spark privacy worries*
Micro-chip tags are starting to be put in ID documents
BBC - A perceived threat to privacy posed by Micro-chip radio tags has
emerged as the main fear in an EU study of the technology.
Unveiling the study, EU commissioner Viviane Reding said citizens needed
re-assuring that Micro-chip tags would not lead to large-scale surveillance.
Many of those contributing to the EU study also wanted the Micro-chip
radio frequency ID tags to be turned off if needed.
Ms Reding said she was ready to draft new laws to control how the radio
frequency tags could be used.
Potential abuse
The Information Society Commissioner made her comments at a conference
called to mark the end of a six-month EU consultation exercise in which
it sought opinions about the growing use of radio-frequency ID (RFID) tags.
These "smart barcodes" are increasingly used by businesses to monitor
goods as they move along supply chains. Governments are also starting to
think about putting them in many identity documents such as passports.
A record number of people and organisations contributed to the
consultation exercise, which was evidence, said Ms Reding, of the depth
of feeling about the technology.
Early reports from the consultation exercise show fears about how RFID
tags affect personal privacy was the main worry.
Barcode, BBC
Radio frequency tags could take over from barcodes
"The large majority are willing to be convinced that RFID can bring
benefits but they want to be reassured that it will not compromise their
privacy," said Ms Reding. "This is the deal that we have to strike if we
want RFID to be accepted and widely taken up."
People wanted to decide how information was updated and used, said Ms
Reding.
"The consultation shows that people are mainly afraid of losing control,
of not being able to choose when and how they are exposed to risks," she
said.
Many also wanted the ability to destroy the tags if need be, said Ms Reding.
Only 15% of the 2,190 organisations and individuals who contributed to a
survey the EU ran during the consultation exercise thought had hopes
that industry would do a good job of regulating how firms used RFID tags.
More than half, 55%, of those that filled in the survey said laws should
be changed to ensure the tags and the information they allow firms and
governments to collect, is not abused.
The EU has said that the final conclusions from the consultation process
will be announced towards the end of 2006. Ms Reding said if new laws
were needed, they would be drafted in 2007.
The consultation process was kicked off at the Cebit trade show that was
held in Hanover in March 2006.