Micro chipping People: the Good, the Bad or the Ugly?

[blue kat]

I'm just curious as to where people stand on micro chipping humans for various reasons. The first link references two articles, a club in Spain that wants to use chips to verify identity, the second is about using the chips to track Politicians and such to avoid political kidnapping and stuff. The second link references using the chips to track ex-cons and sexual predators.

Do you feel that chipping criminals is justified? What about chipping underage children? Are there any circumstances where it would be okay to chip someone, with or without their consent?

 

[rosco rathbone]

Great stuff here for anyone who wants to feel paranoid about the future, posthumanism, AI, Total Surveillance, etc:

http://www.nickbostrom.com

 

[Slutacus]

I have a couple of responses to this idea. Ethically I feel the same way as I do toward book banning or to any limitation of freedom or rights to specific, targeted groups: once you completely take away the privacy of any group of people, no matter how awful that group is and how sensible it seems to keep tabs on them, you open the door for it to be done to other groups, less awful, and eventually, to you.

Practically speaking, if this happens it will open the door for a new and lucrative black-market business: chip removal or decativation.

Finally, a great many people in developed countries are already voluntarily micro-chipping themselves (cell phones).

 

[graceanne]

I personally wouldn't do it. Be microchipped. I wouldn't let my kids be microchipped either. As I've said before I was raised by hippies, and I don't trust Uncle Sam for shit. Conspiracy theory's and all that. *shrugs*

 

[oddity83]

No, it would would open the door for illegal searchs, it would be a means of surveillance that would other wise be illegal. Down with big brother!

 

[D's mariposa]

Aaahh, but wire-tapping is "illegal" too!

I could see our government going for that. Chipping I mean. It seems every time there's a sexual offender on the news, someone brings it up in our area, especially in the case of child molesters. I'm opposed to chipping people people like so many animals. I don't want to live in some sort of perverse Orwellian utopia. My theory is that we don't punish the child molesters bad enough. The "punishment" for such crimes should be synonymous with "fertilizer."

 

[rosco rathbone]

Just wait till the nanotech "gnat cams". Privacy is a thing of the past; which gives me horror as an extremely private person with little technical/computer ability.

 

[graceanne]

Aaahh, but wire-tapping is "illegal" too!

I could see our government going for that. Chipping I mean. It seems every time there's a sexual offender on the news, someone brings it up in our area, especially in the case of child molesters. I'm opposed to chipping people people like so many animals. I don't want to live in some sort of perverse Orwellian utopia. My theory is that we don't punish the child molesters bad enough. The "punishment" for such crimes should be synonymous with "fertilizer."

hehe

I have to admit, since finding out their's a sexual predetor in my area that I woudln't mind him being chipped.

But frankly, what about those anklet things? Couldn't we jsut do that?

 

[bluntforcemama]

Next it'll be "Logan's Run." Actually, there's a good article in National Geographic this month about RFIDs.

Implantable RFIDs for nightclub VIPs
Clubbers who want VIP status at the popular Baja Beach Club in Barcelona can now get implanted with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. For 125 euro, customers can have an Applied Digital Solutions VeriChip, the size of a grain of rice, injected into his or her upper arm. Makes it easier to run a tab.

 

[brioche]

Next it'll be "Logan's Run." Actually, there's a good article in National Geographic this month about RFIDs.

Implantable RFIDs for nightclub VIPs
Clubbers who want VIP status at the popular Baja Beach Club in Barcelona can now get implanted with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. For 125 euro, customers can have an Applied Digital Solutions VeriChip, the size of a grain of rice, injected into his or her upper arm. Makes it easier to run a tab.

I thought RFIDs were the things tasers spit out when you fire them.

 

[brioche]

I do have some issues with this sort of thing.
I mean, due to my father's job, I have already been through several RCMP checks. They do a new one every once in a while.
He very wisely didn't tell us about this until AFTER the first one was done. The justification being that he sometimes bring sensitive material home.
I looked once, it's mostly dull as shit.
I did giggle when I discovered that their Y2K plan included a plan to save the doves in one of the governmental places, but he got cranky with me for reading it so I stopped. He shouldn't have left it on the table anyway.
And since my dad uses this internet connection lo log in to check his work stuff - it's all done with numerical passwords that change every minute or so - I'm pretty sure someone is reading this.
This kind of invasion I can adjust to, reluctantly, but what if this chipping became common? Would I then have to go around with someone monitoring everything I do?
No thanks.

 

[catalina_francisco]

Not exactly the same as micro chipping persons, but another reason why you should not use micro chips. You might get the attention of spammers!!!

http://lotusimages.com/news/

Francisco.

 

[FurryFury]

I really don't have much of a problem with micro chipping animals, criminals, kids, me whatever. If I had a reason and the cost was low enough I'd do it.

However, if everyone is chipped it becomes less effective because honestly who is going to bother with checking everyone? It's like surveillance cameras these days. Theoretically they document everything these days but rarely does anyone look at them. Rarely do they actually help in a crime. Hell most of the composition is so bad you can't tell what you are looking at.

So you have to be really looking for help for a GOOD reason usually for these things to work for ya. That's my take.

Fury

 

[brioche]

I really don't have much of a problem with micro chipping animals, criminals, kids, me whatever. If I had a reason and the cost was low enough I'd do it.

However, if everyone is chipped it becomes less effective because honestly who is going to bother with checking everyone? It's like surveillance cameras these days. Theoretically they document everything these days but rarely does anyone look at them. Rarely do they actually help in a crime. Hell most of the composition is so bad you can't tell what you are looking at.

So you have to be really looking for help for a GOOD reason usually for these things to work for ya. That's my take.

Fury

It's true. At my Dad's work they have a camera that scans the parking lots. If you come into its view and are the only thing moving it'll focus on you. They installed it so that the security guards could watch women go out to their cars and make sure they got there ok, and it works okay. Before people get their panties in a bunch, sometimes women have to stay until after midnight with experiments and stuff, and it's a lonely area. Plus it was put in a while ago.

Anyway, some guys have been stealing cars, driving them into the parking lot there, stealing other cars, and leaving with them. By the time the police get there it's always too late, and the resolution on the camera isn't good enough to get a good shot of them. But just try to get a functional camera replaced at a government building.

 

[DVS]

I'm writing a story about a chip that is inserted into the brain and it controls the sexual desires of the person...but that's a whole different kind of chip.

The ones discussed here are a little scary. With the ways we are using satellites to find our way, and chips in our cars in case they are stolen and in our pets for safe return...it's only a matter of time.

 

[caela]

Finally, a great many people in developed countries are already voluntarily micro-chipping themselves (cell phones).

There's a difference between a microchip and a cell phone though. I can turn off and throw away my cell phone, a microchip implanted under skin and/or muscle is much harder to get rid of and it would cause some sort of bodily harm to do so.

 

[graceanne]

I'm writing a story about a chip that is inserted into the brain and it controls the sexual desires of the person...but that's a whole different kind of chip.

Sounds hot. Wish I'd thought of it. lol

 

[Sapphire_Blue_8]

no microchips for me

Hi all, I'm really new to these boards - just signed up today - but I thought I'd jump in and add my 2 cents. - NO way would I let them microchip me or my children. Uncle Sam already spies on us enough. Ever seen Google earth (ok the free version is 5 years behind - but the pay version is up to date). Cell phones and ATM cards are probably being tracked. Cameras on traffic lights - they mail you your speeding ticket?

I just had this discussion with my daughter - she wanted to buy a pipe for her boyfriend (yes a marjuanna pipe) - but she couldn't find one locally so i suggested on line - she asked "are you sure you want that charge appearing on your credit card bill (because of course she doesn't have a bank account), you know the government keeps track of such purchases. "

I should have been a hippy - I don't want the government in my business any more than it already is. I'll take my chances with my old fashion drivers license for id. (BTW - it has a magnetic strip on the back - guess what that is for.)

 

[FurryFury]

Letting the government do it to me or my kids? No, I wouldn't either.

Doing it for my own ends. Yeah. I might.

Fury

 

[brioche]

Letting the government do it to me or my kids? No, I wouldn't either.

Doing it for my own ends. Yeah. I might.

Fury

I'm just thinking outside the box here - I do that sometimes when I'm wired - but have we talked about the good?

If you could get location from these chips someday:
How about:
Firefighters and other high risk jobs? Bodies could be definitvely located after disasters like 9/11. (yes it still might not be safe to retrieve them, but families would KNOW sooner)

Soldiers? No more worry about bodies being beyond recognition and tombs of the unknown soldier (for current wars, no need to mess with the past)

People likely to be kidnapped, such as aid workers in Iraq? They could be located using their chips.

Lastly, if I was living somewhere where families are routinely kidnapped and held for ransom, and the technology was there, I'd use it.

Of course, for aid workers and soldiers and such, it would need to be removable after their term, but you see the point.

 

[graceanne]

All that would be great, but what's to stop them from abusing their power. Unfortunately our govt is run by humans, and humans are corruptable. What if you piss off the wrong person? What if you end up in an abusive relationship and have to go into hiding, and your SO is a great hacker? CAuse as soon as people get micro-chipped their'll be people who'll remove em and other people who'll figure out how the govt keeps track and will sell similar things on the black market.

 

[brioche]

I still say they can do some good.

I thought someone should bring some up - what with the title and all.

 

[DVS]

I still say they can do some good.

I thought someone should bring some up - what with the title and all.

Firefighters already have a similar device that helps them find one another, in a smokey fire. It's not a chip, but an electronic device that goes off. I know, not the same thing.

And in the instance of a stolen car, the dealers aren't telling where the transmiters are, but if someone knew, they could just turn them off.

As for soldiiers, it's a good idea, but in times of war, body parts are blown everywhere and even if the part that has the chip would be found, maybe the chip itself would be crushed. Still, not a bad idea, just needs some work.

As for kidnapping, these chips are just below the surface of the skin. Unless everything was kept silent, even bad guys would know where these things are. What would keep the kidnapper from taking a knife and removiing the chip? Or, maybe some sort of electronic device that damages the transmitter. It's possible to do such things.

Still, your mind is thinking in the right directeion. You just need to work on your plans a bit more.

 

[graceanne]

I still say they can do some good.

I thought someone should bring some up - what with the title and all.

I'm not disagreeing, but I think they'd do good at first. And then like many things that start good will get corrupted.

Like child protective services. And believe me, you don't want to get me started.