- I have disturbing news from the RFID front lines. CASPIAN
has uncovered evidence of industry plans to deploy RFID tracking devices
in consumer clothing items.
-
- A $600 million company called Checkpoint has developed
prototype labels containing RFID spychips for Abercrombie & Fitch,
Calvin Klein, and Champion sportswear. These tags contain tiny computer
chips with unique ID numbers that can be read remotely by anyone with the
right equipment.
-
- CNET picked up the story on Friday, September 24th. You
can read it at: http://networks.silicon.com/lans/
- 0,39024663,39124341,00.htm
-
- Photos of the spychipped clothing labels can be seen
on our website at: http://www.spychips.com/press-releases
- /checkpoint-photos.html
-
- Potentially, people wearing the tagged clothing items
could be identified and tracked as they pass through Checkpoint-equipped
doorways and store portals, as they stand near Checkpoint's retail
"smart
shelves" containing hidden RFID reader devices, or when they enter
Checkpoint's planned RFID "smart zones" in stores.
-
- Checkpoint has an infrastructure of anti-theft reader
devices already in place at stores and libraries around the world. (Look
at the bottom of the next security portal you pass through and you may
see the Checkpoint name.) These portals could be retrofitted to silently
read and record the unique ID numbers contained in Checkpoint's new
clothing
tags, or in any other item Checkpoint may be tagging.
-
- Since there is no legal requirement for companies to
tell consumers when products they buy contain RFID tags, this may already
be happening.
-
- Earlier this year, Checkpoint announced the purchase
of 100 million RFID tags from vendor Matrics. Nearly a year ago, a senior
Checkpoint executive boasted that "the technology is ready to
pilot,"
and revealed that "we're working with forward-thinking consumer
product
goods manufacturers and retail clients on pilots."
-
- CASPIAN, on the other hand, will be working with
consumers
on an aggressive response to this privacy threat. Roll up your sleeves
and get ready for a good fight.
-
- In freedom,
-
- Katherine Albrecht
- CASPIAN Founder and Director
-
-
- Links to more information:
-
- Checkpoint's RFID-laced clothing labels
- http://www.spychips.com/press-releases
- /checkpoint-photos.html
-
- CASPIAN's press release:
- http://www.spychips.com/press-releases
- /checkpoint.html
-
- CNET article: "Retailer to put RFID chips in all
clothing"
- http://networks.silicon.com/lans
- /0,39024663,39124341,00.htm
-
- Checkpoint is "the world's largest integrator of
RFID technology into
- consumer product packaging"
- http://www.checkpointsystems.com/content
- /news/press_releases_archives_display.aspx?news_id=59
-
- Checkpoint and GOLIATH to use RFID for point-of-purchase
advertising
- http://www.checkpointsystems.com/content
- /news/press_releases_display.aspx?news_id=61
-
- Checkpoint buys 100 million RFID tags from Matrics
- http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/853/1/1/
-
- Checkpoint ready for pilots, demos "smart
shelf"
and "smart zone"
- http://www.checkpointsystems.com/content/news
- /press_releases_archives_display.aspx?news_id=58
-
- Learn more about "smart shelves" from our
Gillette
boycott site
- http://www.boycottgillette.com/spychips.html
-
- Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and
Numbering
(CASPIAN) is a grass-roots consumer group fighting retail surveillance
schemes since 1999. With thousands of members in all 50 U.S. states and
over 30 countries worldwide, CASPIAN seeks to educate consumers about
marketing
strategies that invade their privacy and to encourage privacy-conscious
shopping habits across the retail spectrum.
-
- For more information, see:
- http://www.spychips.com and http://www.nocards.org
-
- You're welcome to duplicate and distribute this message
to others who may find it of interest.
-
- To subscribe or unsubscribe to the CASPIAN mailing list,
click the following link or copy and paste it into your browser:
- http://www.nocards.org/cgi/mojo/mojo.cgi
-
- If you have difficulty with the web-based interface,
you may also subscribe or unsubscribe via email by writing to:
admin@nocards.org
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