RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification, is a new technology that is becoming increasingly popular in the commerce sector. Basically, RFID can store just about any information you want onto the tag and then a reader can read that information. BP and Exxon were the first to use this technology in where you could swipe your key ring attached fob past the gas pump and it automatically knew who you were and charged your account accordingly. Credit cards, such as American Express, are now also using this technology. The U.S. government is also getting in the act and issuing all new passports in the new year with your very private data in them. Remember, any reader near by can read these tags and thus the problem arises. While in the case of the passports, the tags are supposedly encrypted, but you still have to think just how other encrypted systems have been successfully broken. Scary.

Whelp, looks like Wal-Mart is slapping RFID stickers on their product to better help keep track of inventory. This way when an entire pallet of TV’s come in, once it passes the reader at the dock, the local store knows exactly how many TV’s just came in. Now of course the conspiracy people say they’re being used to track the customer, but since there is no reader located at the front of the stores, this is most likely not true. Sure, someone can be walking around the store with a reader on their person, but come on, I think this is going a bit far. For now.

Yes, I can totally see RFID being abused by stores such as Wal-Mart in the future. Just like I see identity thieves having a field day with the passports that soon will be in international airports world wide, I can also see stores tracking customers — and thieves — inside the gray lines of the law. If that scares you, wait until human implants start becoming of the norm.

No, this is one mobile technology that I do not like. Not because of its great technological leap and power, but because of the power of abuse that comes with it. This is going to be bad.

[tags]rfid,wal-mart,tracking,product[/tags]