Posted on 02/12/2006 4:28:09 PM PST by wagglebee
An Ohio company has embedded silicon chips in two of its employees - the first known case in which US workers have been “tagged” electronically as a way of identifying them.
CityWatcher.com, a private video surveillance company, said it was testing the technology as a way of controlling access to a room where it holds security video footage for government agencies and the police.
Embedding slivers of silicon in workers is likely to add to the controversy over RFID technology, widely seen as one of the next big growth industries.
RFID chips – inexpensive radio transmitters that give off a unique identifying signal – have been implanted in pets or attached to goods so they can be tracked in transit.
“There are very serious privacy and civil liberty issues of having people permanently numbered,” said Liz McIntyre, who campaigns against the use of identification technology.
But Sean Darks, chief executive of CityWatcher, said the glass-encased chips were like identity cards. They are planted in the upper right arm of the recipient, and “read” by a device similar to a cardreader.
“There’s nothing pulsing or sending out a signal,” said Mr Darks, who has had a chip in his own arm. “It’s not a GPS chip. My wife can’t tell where I am.”
The technology’s defenders say it is acceptable as long as it is not compulsory. But critics say any implanted device could be used to track the “wearer” without their knowledge.
VeriChip – the US company that made the devices and claims to have the only chips that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration – said the implants were designed primarily for medical purposes.
So far around 70 people in the US have had the implants, the company said.
"Wait a minute, I haven't done anything!"
"Get in.""
Actually, bits and pieces of IG Farben were absorbed into other companies. I think you would be looking at Pfizer, now.
I'm not convinced that these chips would be terribly useful in identifying U.S. citizens, though they could be a convenient adjunct to a system which accomplished that. What we need is a really solid biometric ID national database, with public access to limited information on anyone who is in it, e.g. citizenship status, and whether the individual has a criminal record. It's too easy to invent or assume an identity in this country, and the consequences are often very grave. Many facilities which care for people with severe mental and/or physical disabilities have low-level staffers with histories of aggravated assault and rape, and too often they repeat those offenses on their vulnerable charges. They can pretend to be anybody when they apply for a job. Fake IDs like driver's licenses are easy to come by, and since HR departments now have liability-protection policies under which they will divulge little or no information about previous employees, a criminal can assume the name and former employer of a decent employee, and there's really no way for a prospective employer to verify identity. If I fill out an application saying I'm Joe Miller who used to clean bedpans at Hicktown Hospital for Special Children, and produce a driver's license with my picture on it and Joe Miller's name and birth date, and a SS card with Joe Miller's SS# on it, the prospective employer has absolutely no way of knowing that I'm really Tom Smith who was fired from Middletown Home for Wayward Boys for molesting the inmates, and was convicted under a plea bargain of indecent exposure. Not to mention that the votes of citizens are increasingly being diluted by the votes of illegal immigrants, and by double-voting and voting under the names of dead people.
IG Farben had some of its absorption into Monsanto.
Pfizer and Monsanto have one of those technically related links.
All in all...still not a good combination.
That's the case for the medical info chips (which I don't think have actually been launched yet), but I don't see any indication that it's the case for the chips these employees have gotten.
Monsanto is behind NAIS.
I know you are busy on this thread; but when you get a moment, mark these to come back too:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1573646/posts
How do you say No NAIS in Japanese?
And Monsanto is on the Committee for the Invasive Species Act.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1576897/posts
Executive Order 13112 - Invasive Species Advisory Committee
And Monsanto is involved in Healthy People 2010
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1563271/posts
Healthy People 2010
It is the case for the NAIS chips. If it is the same Verisign database, I don't see why they would have a difference.
Verisign doesn't have any info that isn't either given to it by its clients, or already in the public domain.
It's the same chip for both the medical and identification / secure access applications. Those who receive the chip for the later will be able to opt into the medical database if they wish, when it becomes available in their area.
Maybe, maybe not. But a Democrat will be in the White House sooner or later. Keep that in mind when you propose expanding government powers.
And even if some dim does (it won't be her), WHO CONTROLS THE SUPREME COURT NOW?
There are only 4 reliable conservative votes on SCOTUS.
Who controls the Pentagon?
Whoever is in the White House at the time.
Who controls the Congress?
Do you really think the Dems will never get back control of Congress, ever again?
"Oh, Mrs. SMith, your new baby needs one more injection before s/he can leave the hospital -- don't worry, it's nothing serious, but the AMA and the governemtnhave added it to the mandatory vaccinations..."
Any complaints or objections would be met with, "But you've already been living with it for years, and it hasn't caused problems..."
Scarily plausible.
The information I've seen indicates that the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) database will be maintained by the USDA. NAIS Q&A
I'm not sure where Verisign Corp (which is an entirely separate entity from Verichip Corp) factors into this.
and to add to the total lack of privacy, we have tommy thompson, a board member of verichip, getting a chip telling everyone, "it's safe no problem, you should get one too"
And I think you are a stateist tool and you logic is beyond absurd
You can get a verichip implanted right now if you like them so much
You need to double check on that.
He has not gotten one those are for the serfs not the lords. He said that he would get one but has yet to make good on that
I don't know. From other articles they're talking about personal medical records, credit cards, security locks, etc. all being contained on one chip. I think it's just a matter of time.
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