Will the RFID Industry EVER Get It?

David Heath
Thursday, 20 March 2008 17:58

Your IT - Home IT

A recent article from a representative of the RFID industry makes it very clear that the industry still has no comprehension of the privacy concerns of ordinary consumers.

Mr Andrew Strauch, Vice President, Product Marketing and Management at MIKOH Corporation (ASX: MIK) recently published an article on the website RFIDSolutionsOnline (you’ll have to offer up some supposedly personal information to get access to the download – fake it if you want, they don’t check anything).

In this article, Strauch correctly identifies the fact that consumers are worried about the privacy issues surrounding RFID.  Unfortunately, that’s about the last useful thing he says.

The article is intended to extol the virtues of Mikoh’s new product the “Smart&Secure Retail tag.”  This device contains one major new innovation.  The primary antenna is included in a small folding lid.  When connected, the antenna gives the device a range of around 4m; disconnected, only a few centimetres.

Sounds great, or does it  The drawback?  Well, there are two.  Firstly, you can reconnect the antenna at any time’ ostensibly to allow restocking in the case of product returns.  Secondly, although they claim just a short distance without the in-built antenna, external directional antennae will almost certainly be able to communicate with the device from a much greater distance – just ask the guys who are hacking the RFID-based passports around the world.
This amounts to an interesting solution in desperate need of a problem.   It doesn't make any real attempt to deal with privacy.

Allow me to offer the RFID manufacturers and the retailers that use the devices some home-spun advice.  RFID devices are for you to track your products.  After the products are purchased, the devices MUST be totally and irrevocably disabled.  No ifs, no buts, no excuses.  Totally and irrevocably disabled.

If the retailers won’t do this, I can offer someone a business idea.  After determining the best locations, set up kiosks filled with microwave ovens.  As shoppers exit the stores, take their purchases and ‘zap’ any RFID chips into oblivion.

I for one would gladly pay for such a service.