Inserting microchip implants in humans is no longer a future fantasy. Currently, about 2,000 people have received the RFID (radio frequency identification) chip manufactured by VeriChip Corp., located in Delray Beach, Fla.
The RFID tag consists of a medical-grade glass capsule that holds a silicon computer chip, a copper antenna, and a capacitor that transmits data stored on the chip when prompted by an electronic reader. The device is as long as two grains of rice, and about as thick as a toothpick, which is inserted into the back of the arm, between the elbow and shoulder.
Proponents see the technology as a helpful device that can solve many of our current problems, such as tracking wandering Alzheimer’s patients and violent criminals; surveying school children’s attendance and whereabouts; giving hospitals access to all personal medical records in case of an emergency; and offering monitored access into restricted, high-security areas.
Opponents see the dangers inherent in these endeavors, as the technology can be easily hacked into by others with more sinister motivations. They also worry that this may be the first step that will inevitably lead to the creation of an Orwellian surveillance society.
Yahoo News July 21, 2007
Dr. Mercola’s Comments:
We reported that VeriChip Corp. was launching the first-ever microchip for insertion into humans in 2002. Although it may not seem like a lot, 2,000 people getting the implant in five years is definitely the beginning of something. What that “something” might be is the question that is up for debate.
Making Life Easier, or Just More Dangerous?
Personally, I am a technology “geek,” and I love anything that can make my life easier, more organized and secure, and that can make tedious tasks faster. However, some rather serious risks need to be taken into account when considering something as invasive and permanent as micro chipping human beings.
I believe we, as a society, need to reflect deeply on the full, potential implications of implanting these trackable devices, full of personal data, including identifying information, financial information, and medical data. And there’s nothing that says it has to end there.
Databanks may eventually be set up to include everything about you, listing everything from the books you check out of the library, your grocery shopping habits, school grades, performance reports, police- and motor vehicle records. The list can get remarkably long.
I for one, will chose to avoid it, no matter what the purported benefits might be.
Whether or not you believe in the Christian prophesies that warn of the “Mark of the Beast” as a sign of the end of days, being tagged could potentially mark you as an easy target for dangerous medical mistakes and ID theft.
Does the Chip Ensure Correct Data Entry?
As we’ve previously reported, the medical system kills some 800,000 people per year. This statistic would lead you to believe that if doctors just had all the necessary information at their fingertips, you would be safer in their hands.
Unfortunately, it is the doctors’ failures in judgment, vigilance, memory, knowledge, patient-related factors, and handing the patient off to others that are the leading factors contributing to medical errors. And don’t forget, the medical information on your chip is only as good as the person(s) who actually entered it in. If you’ve ever had a mistake on your medical record, or on your credit history report, you know just how easily and how frequently those errors can occur.
Could Hackers Steal Your Identity as You Walk By?
The short and disturbing answer is YES. A skilled hacker could make his own reader, or “emulator”, aim it at an unsuspecting target, and easily swipe your ID by cloning the information on your chip. VeriChip Corp. has admitted this to be true, even though they market their RFID’s as imperatives for high-security buildings and nuclear power plants.
Convenience VS. Security and Privacy
Although these types of implantable computer chips may offer many practical conveniences, I doubt they will be worth the final price in terms of loss of personal security and privacy from hackers, spoofers, stalkers, thieves, and perhaps even the government.
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