Subject: [NEXTEL-1] 'RFID Right to Know Act of 2003'

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 09:39:21 -0400

Consumer Group
Unveils RFID Labeling Legislation

Proposed "RFID Right to Know Act of 2003"
 mandates disclosures on products with RFID chips

June 11, 2003

CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering) today
unveils federal legislation calling for mandatory disclosures on consumer
products containing radio frequency identification (RFID) chips.

 The "RFID Right to Know Act of 2003" -
http://www.nocards.org/rfid/rfidbill.shtml - would protect consumers against
unwittingly purchasing products embedded with remote surveillance devices.

RFID chips are tiny tracking devices that transmit product information by
radio waves. These devices can be smaller than a grain of sand and can be
hidden in consumer products, making the products remotely trackable. For
example, the chips can be embedded in ATM cards, sewn into the seams of
pants, or woven into shirt labels without their owners' knowledge.

"RFID technology is moving forward at an incredible pace, and there is an
urgent need for this legislation," says CASPIAN Founder and Director
Katherine Albrecht. "Companies have already begun embedding these chips in
products people buy today. For all you know, these chips could be in your
home now. The problem is you have no way of knowing."

Albrecht paints a picture of the implications: "Imagine walking into a store
and having a computer take an inventory of everything you're wearing--right
down to the size and color of your underwear. Store employees could even
read the contents of your wallet to determine whether you're a desirable
customer or someone they want to ignore based on your financial value. The
possibilities for discrimination are quite disturbing.".

CASPIAN has already called for a moratorium on the use of RFID chips in
consumer products until the societal implications can be addressed. However,
in light of the fact that Wal-Mart, the nation's largest retailer, is
forging ahead with the technology, legislation to protect consumers is
urgently needed.

In addition to requiring mandatory labeling to alert consumers to the
presence of RFID chips, the legislation would make it illegal for companies
to link the chips with personally identifying information.

The "RFID Right to Know Act of 2003" was authored for CASPIAN by Zoe
Davidson of the Boston University Legislative Clinic. The full text of the
legislation and a summary are available at the CASPIAN web site.

Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN) is a
grass-roots consumer group fighting retail surveillance schemes since 1999.
With thousands of members around the world and in all 50 U.S. states,
CASPIAN seeks to educate consumers about marketing strategies that invade
their privacy and encourage privacy-conscious shopping habits across the
retail spectrum.

For more information, visit CASPIAN's website at http://www.nocards.org or
email: [email-masked]

Source: http://www.nocards.org/press/pressrelease06-11-03.shtml

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