IBM to produce Privacy-Friendly RFID Tags

The current application and usage of RFID tag has generated various concern among the users mainly concentrated on the privacy issues. Why?

• Tagged items carried by the buyers can tracked within 30 feets away, enabled its whereabout to be located.
• This will create the opportunity for thieves with RFID scanners to rob the expensive items and its owners.
• If the tag is removed, then the retailers will find difficult when the product is being returned, will all the data already missing.

With the introduction of clipped tag, the antenna can be easily teared off. This leave only the data in the remaining tag without being tracked.

Though this product is able to address the privacy concern, another area to be looked into will be the cost - cost for item-level tagging is still very high.