RFID Concerns
However, there are some concerns around RFID. Here are some of them:
Privacy
RFID is a truly pervasive technology and it does collect a whole bunch of information. For example, through the use of RFID, supermarkets will have a whole bunch of information about your buying patterns. That is intrusive, but remember, most supermarket customer loyalty cards are equally bad.
There are concerns that when you have RFID tags on all products, strangers will be able to pry on you - For example, I heard this woman on radio worrying that a stranger might be able to determine the color of her underwear through the use of RFID ! This concern is unfounded because readers only have a ten feet range and I simply cant see people lugging around readers with them on the street.
However, in order to allay people's fears, supermarkets should give everyone an option to have tags removed at the point of purchase.
Emissions
There are concerns about the effect of the ubiquitous RFID waves floating all around ... And in fact, although the FDA has recommended the use of RFID for pharmaceutical products, they have restricted the use of RFID tags on vaccines and other biological products.
Industry experts have assured me that most products get hit with pretty heavy doses of RF waves at warehouses and they dont seem to be affected adversely.
Loss of jobs
In spite of all the great things that RFID can do, its fundamental financial benefit is created through workforce reduction. Initial estimates say that upto 50% of warehouse employees will lose their jobs. In addition, with automated checkout, most check out clerks will lose their jobs ...
I wonder if Wal*Mart is shooting itself in the foot through the implementation of RFID .. After all, some of their most regular customers are probably the warehouse employees and check out clerks - And starving graduate students as well :-) . If the warehouse employees and clerks lose their jobs, Wal*Mart loses their business.
Privacy
RFID is a truly pervasive technology and it does collect a whole bunch of information. For example, through the use of RFID, supermarkets will have a whole bunch of information about your buying patterns. That is intrusive, but remember, most supermarket customer loyalty cards are equally bad.
There are concerns that when you have RFID tags on all products, strangers will be able to pry on you - For example, I heard this woman on radio worrying that a stranger might be able to determine the color of her underwear through the use of RFID ! This concern is unfounded because readers only have a ten feet range and I simply cant see people lugging around readers with them on the street.
However, in order to allay people's fears, supermarkets should give everyone an option to have tags removed at the point of purchase.
Emissions
There are concerns about the effect of the ubiquitous RFID waves floating all around ... And in fact, although the FDA has recommended the use of RFID for pharmaceutical products, they have restricted the use of RFID tags on vaccines and other biological products.
Industry experts have assured me that most products get hit with pretty heavy doses of RF waves at warehouses and they dont seem to be affected adversely.
Loss of jobs
In spite of all the great things that RFID can do, its fundamental financial benefit is created through workforce reduction. Initial estimates say that upto 50% of warehouse employees will lose their jobs. In addition, with automated checkout, most check out clerks will lose their jobs ...
I wonder if Wal*Mart is shooting itself in the foot through the implementation of RFID .. After all, some of their most regular customers are probably the warehouse employees and check out clerks - And starving graduate students as well :-) . If the warehouse employees and clerks lose their jobs, Wal*Mart loses their business.
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