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New RFID Law Doesn’t Protect Consumers’ Privacy

As RFID (radio frequency ID) tags are included in more and more consumer goods - sometimes without the owner’s knowledge or consent - some states are taking steps to curtail the privacy invasion.

Washington state recently passed a law that will offer some protection to residents. The legislation, as reported in ARS Technica, outlaws the use of RFID “spy technologies” to collect consumer information without the owner’s consent. But because lobbyists got hold of the bill before it passed, the law covers only criminal acts such as fraud, identity theft, or “some other illegal purpose.” Collecting information from consumer RFID chips for marketing purposes - with or without the owner’s consent - is still AOK.

RFID is used by major retailers such as Wal-Mart for inventory management and tracking. But the technology, according to the Seattle Times, is rapidly encroaching on all aspects of a person’s daily existence including Washington state driver’s licenses, U.S. passports, clothing, payment cards, car keys and more. The objects contain a tiny tag with a unique number that can be read from a distance and tracked.