US Group Implants Electronic Tags in Workers
February 12 2006

An Ohio company has embedded silicon chips in two of its
employees - the first known case in which US workers have
been "tagged" electronically as a way of identifying them.
CityWatcher.com, a private video surveillance company, said
it was testing the technology as a way of controlling access
to a room where it holds security video footage for
government agencies and the police.

Embedding slivers of silicon in workers is likely to add to the
controversy over RFID technology, widely seen as one of
the next big growth industries.

RFID chips – inexpensive radio transmitters that give off a
unique identifying signal – have been implanted in pets or
attached to goods so they can be tracked in transit.

"There are very serious privacy and civil liberty issues of
having people permanently numbered," said Liz McIntyre,
who campaigns against the use of identification technology.

But Sean Darks, chief executive of CityWatcher, said the
glass-encased chips were like identity cards. They are
planted in the upper right arm of the recipient, and "read" by
a device similar to a cardreader.

"There’s nothing pulsing or sending out a signal," said
Mr Darks, who has had a chip in his own arm. "It's not a GPS
chip. My wife can't tell where I am."

The technology's defenders say it is acceptable as long as it
is not compulsory. But critics say any implanted device could
be used to track the "wearer" without their knowledge.

VeriChip – the US company that made the devices and claims
to have the only chips that have been approved by the Food
and Drug Administration.

So far around 70 people in the US have had the implants,
the company said.




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