Microchip - RFID chip under the skin - curse or blessing

Microchip - RFID chip under the skin - curse or blessing

Many people already wear these microchips under their skin, such as in their hand. Although there are more and more people who voluntarily have such a chip implanted, more and more critical voices are now being raised. An RFID chip also has disadvantages, because these implants can also be used for espionage.

A large fan base

Apparently, it is really easy to operate various scanners and gates with the help of this implanted chip. The barcode, insurance cards, credit cards and keys are replaced with it. Those who want to pay without cash can easily do so with this microchip implant. Meanwhile it is even possible to be found under an avalanche with it, if such an accident should occur.

On the agenda

Such microchips are more than science fiction. Many are grappling with this surveillance technology, social scientists are sounding the alarm. These microchips have already become a reality for numerous followers and fans. The American company Applied Digital Solutions has been selling this product since 2001. These monitoring devices are no bigger than a grain of rice. Although this procedure has been deemed harmless by supposed experts and several thousand implants have now been implanted, there is also a catch.

We are talking about the monitored electronic identity of the wearer. A sixteen-digit number is responsible for this. This also ensures access to a password-protected area. There, the electronic identity ensures recognition via the chip. For example, the following sensitive data is stored:

• Blood type
• Medication
• Diseases
• Account data
• Address data
• Name
• Phone number

Then only a reader is needed to read this information. However, the receiver can also be a smartphone of the modern age. The range for this is on average 10 m.

No mix up possible

Allegedly, such a microchip under the skin is mainly intended for medical applications. For example, an emergency doctor could use a scanner to immediately find out the applicable intolerances with regard to medications and would know about the patient. Nevertheless, other sensitive data can also be read out with such a chip. Complete surveillance is thus conceivable.

Proponents also like to put forward the argument that identification would be easy in the event of an assassination. In many countries, there is also a fear of kidnapping. This is often the case in Mexico and South America, for example. There, even children are now being fitted with such chips.

A virtual prison for the wearer

Of course, the decisive factor is always that such implants are administered voluntarily. That is why the issue of voluntariness plays a central role in this area. Such an implant cannot be lost, yet this is not always seen as an advantage. Although the wearer is not stigmatized by it, because the chip is invisible in the body, there are also other sides. But the bottom line is that such an implanted chip is an electronic shackle.