Wal-Mart To Throw Its Weight Behind RFID

from the that's-a-big-one dept

With all the talk about whether or not retailers would adopt RFID tags, there was always a question of when a major retailer would adopt them. Well, wait no longer. Wal-Mart is planning to announce next week that they're adopting RFID in a big way. They plan to use RFID tags throughout their business within two years. With Wal-Mart throwing their weight behind the technology, you can bet that many other retailers will quickly follow. Of course, what hasn't been answered (and isn't addressed in the article at all) is how Wal-Mart plans to deal with the privacy issues associated with RFID tags. While there's been some talk of adding a kill switch to the tags, it's unclear if that's going to be adopted.

7 Comments | Leave a Comment..


If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...
 

Reader Comments (rss)

(Flattened / Threaded)

  1.  

    Luciferian sects of RFID

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jun 6th, 2003 @ 4:14am

    What if someone invents urban legends about RFID:

    - causing cancer?

    - being surveillance devices made by the CIA that tracks people?

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    RFID hacking

    identicon
    libertas, Jun 6th, 2003 @ 7:08am

    If the world is going to be swimming in rfid tags. I assume that readers are going to become commodity priced. Seems like it's time to start a meme about creative aftermarket uses of rfid tags.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Yay!

    identicon
    False Prophet, Jun 6th, 2003 @ 7:46am

    Another way for Wal-Mart to nose further into society! But this time, instead of taking over the small business part, they'll just take out the middle man and come right into your house. Yet another reason you shouldn't shop at Wal-Mart.

    fp

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    privacy doesn't apply

    identicon
    jeff, Jun 6th, 2003 @ 8:32am

    while they will no doubt move to chipping individual packages, the initial phase of this plan calls for putting the chips in cases and pallets, therefore privacy concerns don't apply.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: privacy doesn't apply

    identicon
    The Pyro Beastial Necrofeliac, Jun 6th, 2003 @ 9:21pm

    So these chips. Are they going to force them to work extra hours and lock them in dark break rooms when they don't?

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    Re: privacy doesn't apply

    identicon
    Super Pimp, Jun 8th, 2003 @ 6:17pm

    As long as there's no chip union.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    Re: 666 The Number of the beast

    identicon
    Anon, Aug 22nd, 2003 @ 2:53pm

    Short time before the mark is on our skin.

    Its a pity cause I love wal-mart.

    Also you know law enforcement will have access if not co-located facilities to monitor all their rfid tags.

    I assume that all the stores will have some kind of client/server that relays it to some central database at HQ, the goverment will be located at each corporate HQ thus making it invisible to all customers and all but the highest company officers and engineers.

    The gov has monitoring station in every major telecom company. One of the places I worked had a goverment GPS system that they installed and maintained and we just monitored for errors.

    There really is no such thing as privacy anymore.

    The Mark will come soon..and anyone who wont take it..they will know where you are 247..plus all the rest of the Drones

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


Add Your Comment

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here
Get Techdirt’s Daily Email
Save me a cookie
  • Note: A CRLF will be replaced by a break tag (<br>), all other allowable HTML will remain intact
  • Allowed HTML Tags: <b> <i> <a> <em> <br> <strong> <blockquote> <hr> <tt>


A word from our Sponsors...
Follow Techdirt
Flattr rss rss
From the Techdirt Archive...
A word from our Sponsors...

Close

Email This