Image via WikipediaTraditionally, companies develop radio frequency identification (RFID) chips for use in products where they exchange data with nearby readers. They can be found in a growing number of devices and objects, including mobile phones, passports, credit cards, price tags, and even medical implants, and are used with sensors and connected devices to create a large pool of information available for software and services to draw upon.
Now, some companies in Mexico are trying to use RFID chips to keep track of people themselves, by implanting them under the skin, especially as the incidence of kidnapping rises.
Kidnappings in Mexico have increased by as much as 370 percent in the past five years, sparking interest in RFID implants that are touted as tracking devices to locate abducted individuals. Media reports and anecdotal evidence in Mexico may inadvertently perpetuate a false security in these RFID devices, which may be creating bigger problems for the population. ...more
