Big Brother is watching your...towel?
For those travelers who like to pilfer "souvenirs" from hotels, beware: some chains are starting to track their linens with RFID chips to catch you in the act.
RFID is a technology that disturbs me. While I can definitely see the potential upside for applications such as inventory management, the potential privacy considerations need to be considered as well. One of the best works I've read on the threats to privacy from RFID technology is Katherine Albrecht's Spychips, which also has a companion website that follows the industry. While I believe the book has a tendency to be on the alarmist side, there's no denying that those who are promoting RFID are moving ahead in an almost reckless manner. By failing to address very real concerns, the industry makes it more likely that some of the more nightmarish RFID scenarios may indeed come to pass.
RFID is a technology that disturbs me. While I can definitely see the potential upside for applications such as inventory management, the potential privacy considerations need to be considered as well. One of the best works I've read on the threats to privacy from RFID technology is Katherine Albrecht's Spychips, which also has a companion website that follows the industry. While I believe the book has a tendency to be on the alarmist side, there's no denying that those who are promoting RFID are moving ahead in an almost reckless manner. By failing to address very real concerns, the industry makes it more likely that some of the more nightmarish RFID scenarios may indeed come to pass.