Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
RFID systems are used mostly for identification. They can be used anywhere, from clothing tags, to pet tags, to missles. They are sometimes used to keep an auto moving through the assembly line with the instructions on how to assemble an individual car. They can identify your lost dog or your stolen car or computer.RFID technology eliminates the need for line-of-sight reading required by the bar code system. RFID scanning can be done at greater distances than bar code scanning. High frequency systems offer transmission ranges of more than 90 feet.
The technology is very useful for merchants. Consumers, though have a different perspective. The Reader devices are very easily hidden and they are relatively inexpensive. The tags mounted in an item can be so tiny that you wouldn't see it.
RFIDs are in widespread use, to we can assume they're here to stay. Today, RFID and facial recognition are being used to make digital posters that scan the faces of pedestrians and change ads when an individual looks at them. In some stores, shoppers chan use it to look at themselves in different outfits.
So why should the average person have any concerns about this technology?
Since 2007 RFID chips have been inserted in American passports, no doubt to process people coming in and out of the country more quickly. More and more credit cards have the chips. This is to aid the quick processing of credit card transactions.
If the immigration officer at the international airport can read your passport information, and a clerk at your favorite retailer can read the information stored on your credit card, who else has this ability? How safe is the encryption that may be guarding the encryption used to guard your information? Are these systems hackable? Readers can be purchased for under $200.
Look for RFID protection in the wallets and Passport holders you will use in the future. These products are getting more plentiful on the market. Retailers who cater to the needs of travelers carry a variety to choose from. Magellans.com and Travel Smith are among these.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rfid
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Mythbuster-RFID-HOPE,6313.html