I am guessing this bloke will be pleased to hear of these developments.

Well, if it is to be compulsary, let's make this Mr E.C. Hayman the guinea-pig.

I can understand, although not agree with, indifference to these developments. To suggest compulsary microchipping...I'm sorry, but that just blows the mind.

Is there any lurking statist that would like to elaborate? I'd love to see a 'cost-benefit' analysis.

bring it on! we need a reason for revolution.

I read about this three or so years ago. I'm sure it wasn't new then.

I have had similar devices implanted in both of my dogs. On the off chance that they get lost/separated from me, a quick scan will provide loads of details about them. Given that one of them is on rather important medication, it is a real comfort.

The technology has been around for a numer of years here in the US and growing in popularity.

Having said this I have real problems about doing the same to humans. Tho I must admit the black market in fake implants with others' identities will surely take off once this stuff becomes broadly used. Think of the possibilities!

You think that is scary, try THIS.

Anyone at all surprised that this was first exhibited in the freedom loving People's Republic of Chainaaaaa?????

You are probably right to point out some of the terrible uses a government may try to put this technology to but there are good uses also. Someone afraid of being kidnapped may very well choose to have this implant.

I thought this might be good for contractors in Iraq when I first saw it. But there are two problems.

1. I think it is a Bluetooth type device with about a 15' transmission range. Not much good for locating people.

2. If it is used, I predict a big market for swiss army knives among kidnappers. If you don't care about the victim's pain, there is an obvious way to neutralize it.

Paul: How would it stop a kidnapping?

The "tracking" range of a passive (ie, not self-powered) responder like that is not very long. Certainly not long enough to enable police, private security, or family to "track" someone to, say, the closet they're locked in in the basement.

I would actually be surprised if the effective range (with normal power sources) would even match Bluetooth, as Bluetooth is powered on both ends.

RFID-type devices are, with current and reasonably forseeable technology, essentially useful only for inventory, not "tracking" in the sense of finding something or someone in an unknown location some distance away.

The only "evil" possibility here is being able to tell what ID number someone has. I continue to find it impossible to have kittens regarding that possibility, bad or unsettling as it might be, given that the various mass-murdering bandits of the past century have managed genocide and nigh-total social control with not much more than fear and guns.

Mine will inform anyone scanning it that I'm (cue Darth Vader theme) John Ashcroft, and if they know what's good for them they'll not ask any further questions.

(I am not the 'droid you're looking for)

The ID Sniper rifle mentioned by Mike is a hoax.
See (Link)

maat

Besides, if you know where the chip is, wrapping that body part in aluminum foil will fairly effectively cut off the interrogation pulse. Unless it's implanted in your scalp, no tinfoil hats, though...

You want scary? Take a look at this from AP via CNN. Isn't it odd how the most sinister plans always start life as something intended to help the diabled?

What's scary is depending on this technology to safeguard critically secure areas. I don't have a remotely operated car alarm because it is too easy to snag the frequency and keycode from the air, replay them and effectively mimic a real remote. And unless this company also wishes to implant a teenie weenie PC to generate a 1024 bit encryption key ("Here you go, sir, simply insert the prelubricated PC pellet in the access port indicated on the diagram..."), I don't see this as a viable option. Ye who live by techno fads shall perish by them.

On dogs these sort of ID things tended to migrate within the dog. The vet would have to scan all over to find the thing. That's a close range scanner held up against the dog's fur. Not really likely a human version would send out a more powerful signal. The migration problem seems to be solved though, I'm not sure what they do differently now.

This could be useful for small children who might get lost and aren't old enough to know their addresses. Or to identify abducted children. Or for the mentally handicapped, or even those that need specific medicines who might be unable to communicate for some reason.

I can imagine these being implanted in folks that have specific medical allergies so that if someone shows up in the emergency room the doctors can find out that sort of thing immediately.

As long as they don't attach a ton of information (Social Security numbes, bank info, whatever) to the ID number and accompanying file I don't really see much harm and there could potentially be a lot of good if it were a voluntary sort of thing.

"The ID Sniper rifle mentioned by Mike is a hoax"

It's interesting how this Boesk guy suddenly appeared out of nowhere to explain it was a hoax.

As for the RFID chip, I'm having several of them implanted in my dog "Mr. Riffles." In case he has an accident, I want to be able to identify him. But, just one RFID chip won't do. What if he gets dismembered? I'm having two put in each limb, as well as several more studded throughout his torso, head, and tail.

Let me explain this thing. The state becomes corrupt and evil -- it is already now. Justice becomes a commodity available only to the very rich. It begins a "dirty war" against its own citizens, and kidnaps your son or daughter and tortures him. You cannot let him/her die and she is counting on you to save her. You find out where he is and try to save him. They have implainted a chip to find you if you try to rescue him. That's what it's for. If they sell this thing, they have one more weapon to wage against the weak and powerless in a civil war to impose a tyrannical rule and have less to fear in imposing one if they do. More likely to impose martial law because it becomes easier to do it.

Let me explain this thing. The state becomes corrupt and evil -- it is already now. Justice becomes a commodity available only to the very rich. It begins a "dirty war" against its own citizens, and kidnaps your son or daughter and tortures him. You cannot let him/her die and she is counting on you to save her. You find out where he is and try to save him. They have implainted a chip to find you if you try to rescue him. That's what it's for. If they sell this thing, they have one more weapon to wage against the weak and powerless in a civil war to impose a tyrannical rule and have less to fear in imposing one if they do. More likely to impose martial law because it becomes easier to do it.