DNA + RFID + GPS= The Biggest Brother of All

[~hellbaby~]

~~~
RFID, DNA,
You can run around naked, but you cannot get rid of your DNA
~The use of a persons DNA to identify their relatives is troubling. If you are related to someone who has DNA on file you can be identified by their DNA. Think how this can be abused in the name of protecting our freedom. Here is one Doctors view:

"Dr. Bieber said he expected possible objections to a method that places whole families under suspicion. But, he said, "we have a duty to victims to use any reasonable methods as long as there is a basis in law, and this would give investigators new leads in some cases." http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/12/s...aab4a5409115&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss.​

IBM has suggested to the government, the use of their RFID chip. This is the patent info for IBM’s RFID "Identification and Tracking of Persons Using RFID-Tagged Items."
It is troubling, to say the least, to think of the uses for such a device. This in particular caught my eye: (the number correspond to image references)

[0029] When a person 60 enters a retail store, a shopping mall, an airport, a train station, a train, or any location
where a person can roam, a RFID tag scanner 20 located therein scans all identifiable RFID tags carried on the
person 60 and obtains SKU numbers for the items carried on the person 60. This list or collection of items is then
assigned to a particular tracking number or some identification number, so that this collection of items can be
identified by that number. As the person 60 moves through the store or other roaming areas, different RFID tag
scanners 20 located therein scan the RFID tags on the person 60, and each RFID tag scanner 20 transmits the
detected RFID tag information to the person tracking unit 120. The person tracking unit 120 compares this
information with different lists of items to identify the tracking number or the like associated with the person 60. In
this manner, the movement of the person can be tracked. The person tracking unit 120 may keep records of
different locations where the person 60 has visited as well as the visitation times to track the person 60."​

What got me thinking was ‘scans all identifiable RFID tags’. As you read the entire document, you get an idea of what these individual tags can do and the ranges of information they can collect and track., Now, if everything is tagged, consider how many tags a person carries on a daily basis. These tags are going to replace barcodes someday.
So everything you buy, where, how often, and how much of it is bought is recorded. All that is combined into one package and given an ID. Tracking purchases may not seem like a big deal, shopping stores do it with price club cards. What bothers me is ‘why’ do they need this? Purchases is not the end, it is just the beginning..
How about your driver’s license? That holds the key to all your personal information AND the information in all your wireless devices. Here is an article snippit:

“RFID inside driver's licenses will make it easy for government agents with readers to sweep large areas and identify protestors participating in a march, for example. Privacy advocates also fear that crooks sitting on street corners could remotely gather personal information from individual's wallets, such as their birth dates and home addresses -- the same information many bank employees use to verify account holders' identities. “​

It has been revealed that the FBI is already targeting anti war protesters, including 90 year old grannies. The story goes on to say:

“Information from card readers could also be coupled with global positioning system data and relayed to satellites, helping the government form a comprehensive picture of the comings and goings of its citizens.” http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,65243,00.html​

So, there is a look into the future. It may be the twenty first century, but it feels like 1984 to me. Well done, Mr. Orwell

 

[Lasher]

I don't understand why they can't put an RF chip in a golf ball.

It seems like a marrage made in heaven to me. You got your golf cart with the GPS, your ball has an RF chip and you never have to worry about losing your ball again.

 

[Ishmael]

I don't understand why they can't put an RF chip in a golf ball.

It seems like a marrage made in heaven to me. You got your golf cart with the GPS, your ball has an RF chip and you never have to worry about losing your ball again.

Great idea as long as they're able to work out the impact/compression problems. <shrug>

Ishmael

 

[~hellbaby~]

I don't understand why they can't put an RF chip in a golf ball.

It seems like a marrage made in heaven to me. You got your golf cart with the GPS, your ball has an RF chip and you never have to worry about losing your ball again.

They do.
http://pics.livejournal.com/fuzzyduckfuzz/pic/000e919s
http://www.radargolf.com

 

[Daqusa]

Great idea as long as they're able to work out the impact/compression problems. <shrug>

Ishmael

I don't really hit it hard enought to worry about that.

wrt RFID's... I am looking forward to the day when this technology replaces bar codes. I am also looking forward for the day when biometrics is connected to a bank account so there will be no more need for cash or plastic.

 

[Gringao]

So everything you buy, where, how often, and how much of it is bought is recorded. All that is combined into one package and given an ID. Tracking purchases may not seem like a big deal, shopping stores do it with price club cards. What bothers me is ‘why’ do they need this? Purchases is not the end, it is just the beginning..

The potential for government abuse is real, but companies want to know what you're buying (they already do, if you use checks, credit or debit cards to purchase...which everyone does) so they can market to you individually and thus more effectively.

RFID, when taken down to the individual SKU (it's still too expensive for that) will allow you to check out at stores in a matter of seconds instead of minutes. I'm all for it.

 

[Daqusa]

My dog has an RFID

 

[~hellbaby~]

I don't really hit it hard enought to worry about that.

wrt RFID's... I am also looking forward for the day when biometrics is connected to a bank account so there will be no more need for cash or plastic.

That will be a good thing, no one will have to know there is no cash to back it up then.

 

[Daqusa]

That will be a good thing, no one will have to know there is no cash to back it up then.

No cash to back what up??

 

[~hellbaby~]

The potential for government abuse is real, but companies want to know what you're buying (they already do, if you use checks, credit or debit cards to purchase...which everyone does) so they can market to you individually and thus more effectively.

RFID, when taken down to the individual SKU (it's still too expensive for that) will allow you to check out at stores in a matter of seconds instead of minutes. I'm all for it.

The customized ads will be ok. But it bothers me, I tell them I forgot my card at the acme and use the store one because the potential for abuse. It also bothers me those meter reading things that record your electric usage etc. can be centeralized to cut off power and other things too. And BTW, I don't drink.....

 

[Gringao]

The customized ads will be ok. But it bothers me, I tell them I forgot my card at the acme and use the store one because the potential for abuse. It also bothers me those meter reading things that record your electric usage etc. can be centeralized to cut off power and other things too. And BTW, I don't drink.....

You still identify yourself when you use the store card and your purchases can be linked to your name. Only outright cash keeps you anonymous. As for the electric company using telemetry to read your meter...what's the difference to you? It just replaces a person, no more.

 

[~hellbaby~]

No cash to back what up??

What the bank says you have if you ever wanted to take it all. When a country has a negetive overall savings rate, there is a pretty good chance there isn't too much green to go around. Not that it is anything new but the elimination for paper money would be beneficial for financial institutions. I invision the day it will be illegal to have cash in large amounts. Hell, if you do a large or out of routine bank transaction banks have to report it to DHS and they freeze your account on grounds of suspected terrorism financing until they investigate you. It happened to a couple who paid off a credit card balance of $6,ooo because they were late a few payments and usually pay off less at a time. I couldn't get my money when I wanted it they made me wait one week to take a large cash withdrawl that was less than $10 thousand recently.

 

[~hellbaby~]

You still identify yourself when you use the store card and your purchases can be linked to your name. Only outright cash keeps you anonymous. As for the electric company using telemetry to read your meter...what's the difference to you? It just replaces a person, no more.

I don't use the store card, they have one they use when people forget their cards. It is not the electric company itself that bothers me, it is the fact they are under government contracts, you never know what governments next stunt will be.