Jim Harper on how anti-RFID'ers harm immigrants, the poor (and public libraries) [priv]

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Date: November 9, 2005 12:38:45 PM EST
To: politech () politechbot com
Subject: [Politech] Jim Harper on how anti-RFID'ers harm immigrants,  
the poor (and public libraries) [priv]

Previous Politech message:
http://www.politechbot.com/2005/11/09/rfid-protesters-target/

My own views on RFID regulation, if anyone's terribly interested:
http://news.com.com/Don't+regulate+RFID--yet/2010-1039_3-5327719.html

I also received a message from a library director at a public library  
that I've been asked not to post verbatim. To summarize it, they're  
planning to replace bar code and security tags with RFID tags within  
the next three years. That will let librarians check out a pile of  
books without opening each one -- and also put a scanner in the book  
return slot too.

One huge benefit is to staff ergonomics (that's a lot of book  
handling eliminated). The RFID tag does not contain any information  
about the book or patron, just a unique ID like a barcode -- only  
numbers.

A boycott-worthy "spychip?" Or a way to help librarians avoid carpal  
tunnel injuries, save money, and use their budgets to actually buy  
more books?

-Declan

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: [Politech] RFID protesters target Wal-Mart, demand new  
laws and regulations [priv]
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2005 12:18:38 -0500
From: Jim Harper <jharper () cato org>
To: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
CC: <kma () nocards org>

I have long taken a (risky) stance in favor of RFID (but not in  
government-issued ID cards) because of the benefits to consumers.  No  
anti-RFID activist probably has this problem, but saving nickels and  
dimes is important to many people on the margins of our society.

Rather than painting the debate in such broad brush-strokes,  
thoughtful people should study the technology and the alternative  
chip and data designs that blend consumers' interests in privacy, low  
price, convenience, and so on.

Just yesterday, I read about another of dozens of such innovations,  
an antenna that can be shortened by the consumer to correspondingly  
shorten the read range.
http://www1.rfidjournal.com/article/view/1972/

Each such alternative has its benefits and drawbacks and I won't  
predict the appropriate design for each potential use of RFID. A  
variety of factors will influence it.

https://www.cei.org/gencon/019,04217.cfm

I don't think picketing in front of a store that uses RFID on pallets  
and cartons helps the process very much.  It probably does chill the  
supply chain efforts that would make immigrants and the poor just a  
little bit better off.

Jim Harper
Director of Information Policy Studies
The Cato Institute
and
Editor
Privacilla.org



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