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RFID Tracking Devices To Go In Consumer Clothes
Katherine Albrecht | September 28 2004
I have disturbing news from the RFID front
lines. CASPIAN has uncovered evidence of industry plans to deploy RFID tracking
devices in consumer clothing items.
A $600 million company called Checkpoint has developed prototype labels
containing RFID spychips for Abercrombie & Fitch, Calvin Klein, and
Champion sportswear. These tags contain tiny computer chips with unique
ID numbers that can be read remotely by anyone with the right equipment.
CNET picked up the story on Friday, September 24th. You can read it at:
http://networks.silicon.com/lans/
0,39024663,39124341,00.htm
Photos of the spychipped clothing labels can be seen on our website at:
http://www.spychips.com/press-releases
/checkpoint-photos.html
Potentially, people wearing the tagged clothing items could be identified
and tracked as they pass through Checkpoint-equipped doorways and store
portals, as they stand near Checkpoint's retail "smart shelves"
containing hidden RFID reader devices, or when they enter Checkpoint's planned
RFID "smart zones" in stores.
Checkpoint has an infrastructure of anti-theft reader devices already in
place at stores and libraries around the world. (Look at the bottom of the
next security portal you pass through and you may see the Checkpoint name.)
These portals could be retrofitted to silently read and record the unique
ID numbers contained in Checkpoint's new clothing tags, or in any other
item Checkpoint may be tagging.
Since there is no legal requirement for companies to tell consumers when
products they buy contain RFID tags, this may already be happening.
Earlier this year, Checkpoint announced the purchase of 100 million RFID
tags from vendor Matrics. Nearly a year ago, a senior Checkpoint executive
boasted that "the technology is ready to pilot," and revealed
that "we're working with forward-thinking consumer product goods manufacturers
and retail clients on pilots."
CASPIAN, on the other hand, will be working with consumers on an aggressive
response to this privacy threat. Roll up your sleeves and get ready for
a good fight.
In freedom,
Katherine Albrecht
CASPIAN Founder and Director
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