Commentary

States Press Both Industry and Feds on RFID

Controversy over the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) continues to grow as New Hampshire has reintroduced legislation to regulate the use of RFID chips in consumer products and entirely ban their use in government documents such as driver’s licenses. A bill in New Hampshire, HB 686, reflects growing legislator and voter concerns over the increasing use of RFID chips by large retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target to track inventory as it moves through the supply chain. At least other three states have drawn up legislation against government plans to incorporate RFID chips into passports and drivers licenses. One New Hampshire legislator, who described himself as a civil libertarian, told me he felt that the chips and the information they gather can lead to wholesale invasions of privacy.