GPS Tracking Privacy Issues

What more can you do with it?

The VeriChip can be used for many applications than just
verifying medical records. In this fast changing world
everything is technology enhanced, and places that spell
technology also invite unethical and illegal activities such as
counterfeiting, identity theft, unauthorized access, etc. The
VeriChip can be used for personal identity verification so the
chip could contain your biometric information and the scanners
would read your chip and grant access to a special area that
only you are supposed to access. Other applications could
include but are not limited to controlling access to
Intellectual Property, managing and tracking physical and
intellectual assets, providing physical access to control
solutions, enabling innovative time and attendance systems,
providing automated data collection and monitoring platforms and
much more. The chip with GPS (Global Positioning System)
capabilities could also be implanted into children, so that it
becomes easier for the Police Department to trace them out, in
events of kidnapping.

VeriChip could also be used to find lost pets or keep track of
endangered wildlife, as well as find lost or stolen property. It
could also be used as a means for security such as, airport
security, authorization for access to government buildings,
laboratories, correctional facilities and the like. Convicted
criminals or possible terrorists could also be tracked with this
technology and prevent future attacks on time.

Is anything wrong with it?

While VeriChip seems to have no adverse side effects to its
wearer, there are quite a few concerns over its usage pattern.
One of the biggest disadvantages is the invasion of privacy of
the user. People wouldnt really like scanners scanning them for
personal information wherever they go or satellites tracking
them across the globe. One of the major concerns could be about
third parties gaining information on the Internet through either
hacking or by selling sensitive data to unknown people. You
might use these chips to safeguard your children from
kidnappers, but there are possibilities of these chips being
surgically removed and being disabled by kidnappers. There is
also the possibilitiy that convicted criminals could remove the
chips so authorities would be unable to track them. Most people
fear an invasion of privacy as the greatest fault of implanting
microchips. A recent CNN poll said that about 76% of Americans
said they would not want a device like VeriChip implanted on
their children, while 24% suggested they would.

While the amount of securities this chip might offer is
overwhelming, at the same time the device seems weighed down by
numerous concerns including invasion of privacy. Only time will
tell whether this invention takes off or just bites the dust.

About the author:
Chris N. Fernando is a Sr. Staff Writer with Magazine 360 - an
IT magazine published by ITNation, Mumbai (India). He has also
worked as Technical Editor with Peer Technical Services and as
Reporter for PCQuest and Living Digital magazines. He also
writes for The Cheers.com.

Get more of him at: www.chrisfernando.tk

Tags: rfid - gps - technology - verichip

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