[IP] Gillette, Wal-Mart drop plan for radio ID chips

[Dave Farber <dave@farber.net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@warpspeed.com>

[Note:  This item comes from reader Monty Solomon.  The intial news
of Wal-Mart taking the step to use RFID got a lot of coverage.  This
backing away from its use to me is even of more significance.  I
remember attending a conference of mostly high-tech folks a few
months ago where there was a presentation on RFID and they had a very
strong reaction against the use of the technology for various privacy
issues.  DLH]

At 12:56 AM -0700 7/11/03, Monty Solomon wrote:
>From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
>Subject: Gillette, Wal-Mart drop plan for radio ID chips
>Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 00:56:19 -0700
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>
>Gillette, Wal-Mart drop plan for radio ID chips
>
>Plan had raised concerns over privacy of consumers
>
>By Hiawatha Bray, Globe Staff, 7/10/2003
>
>Customers at the Wal-Mart store in Brockton won't be getting
>miniature radio transmitter chips with their Gillette Mach 3 razors,
>after all.
>
>Boston-based Gillette Co. and giant retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
>have backed away from plans to test the controversial chips at the
>Brockton Wal-Mart store. ''We didn't do the test, and we're not going
>to,'' said Wal-Mart spokesman Tom Williams.
>
>Williams said the decision reflected a change in business strategy,
>rather than a reaction to an Internet-based campaign against the
>technology, known as radio frequency identification, or RFID.
>
>Privacy advocates were concerned that the technology would be used to
>track consumers' purchases without their knowledge or consent.
>
>...
>
><http://www.boston.com:80/dailyglobe2/191/business/Gillette_Wal_Mart_drop_plan_
for_radio_ID_chips+.shtml>

Archives at: <http://Wireless.Com/Dewayne-Net>
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