 | RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)
A GUIDE FOR POLICYMAKERS
An NCSL Fall Forum Pre-Conference Seminar
Chicago, Illinois, December 6-7, 2005 |
Session Date: December 6, 2005
Fall Forum Session Summary: Radio Frequency Identification – A Policymaker’s Guide : Opening Plenary
By Ricardo Ochoa
Intern, Legislative Information Services
This summary is provided for information purposes only. NCSL does not endorse any views it contains.
Chicago – Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID, is a rapidly growing field. It has incredible potential to improve our lives and the ways that business works. Likewise, the ability to transmit information from tiny computer chips poses a number of security concerns. Legislators need to be aware of these issues as the technology moves from its early development stages to become a prevalent feature in our everyday lives. Recently legislators were given the chance to attend panel discussions on these topics at the Fall Forum Meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
RFID promises to revolutionize many areas of our lives. Shipping and retail industries can use it to make more efficient use of existing systems. RFID tags can provide better protections in identification documents. Mike Malik, who leads the Customer Care Team for the Department of Technology and Information in the State of Delaware, pointed out that EZ-pass toll systems can save states a great deal of money due to the reduced need to maintain toll plazas. In hospitals RFIDs can be used to prevent errors in surgery. These are but a few of the examples of how RFID chips can improve our world.
Implicit in the ability to transmit information is the risk that an unintended listener will gain access to it. Paula Bruening, from the Center for Democracy and Technology, noted that problems occur when the data from an RFID is linked to personal information. She also explained that RFID is “invisible” to the common consumer since it does not engage them, making it more of an unknown threat. This technology also presents the potential of location tracking which is a new use that prior technologies did not support as easily.
Senior researcher for Microsoft, Dr. Steven Shafer, advised the audience that RFID is a rapidly expanding field. Legislation can act now to provide standardization as more users enter into the market. Likewise, broader use will lower the costs which will make RFIDs even more available. Tres Wiley, from Texas Instruments, added that legislators will need to consider how data is collected, stored, used, and disposed. He stressed that it is very important to let many people see and comment on the proposed systems in order to avoid problems in the future.
Even if legislators fail to act, RFID will become a fact of life. Merchandise not on the shelves is a billion dollar problem, one that RFID can help fix. Retailers will implement the technology to help stop these losses. It is important that legislators understand what is happening now. The public’s trust in RFID will be very important; if no privacy protections are in place from the start, the backlash could harm the adoption of all RFIDs.
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.
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