Clark Howard's Tips

RFID tracking getting out of hand

March 17, 2005

Have you heard of RFID or Radio Frequency Identification?

These are little transmitters that can go on inventory, follow travelers or be attached to children.

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When RFID first came out, privacy advocates were very worried about this technology. Clark didn't think it would get out of hand. But he's eating crow now because apparently a California school has been testing the use of RFID to track students.

Teachers were having trouble figuring out which 7th and 8th graders were truants and which were legitimately missing school. The idea was that students would wear an RFID tag around their necks. But parents got very upset, and Clark agrees that this has become too obtrusive.

Granted there are some good uses of RFID.

For example, preventing shoplifting and aiding in the efficiency at checkout counters.

But having RFID tags in the workplace and requiring people to wear them is too much.

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