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Why e-tagging needn't be a bad thing
Whether we're talking frozen pizzas, currency or asylum seekers...

By silicon.com

Published: Friday 23 May 2003

If every five pound note could tell a story they would surely have a few interesting secrets to reveal. Or so the saying goes.

Of course until now that's not been possible but that could all be about to change. It is reported that the European Central Bank (ECB) is looking to put radio frequency identification (RFID) tags into euro notes.

In theory this means the tiny chips could be used to stop money-laundering, track illegal transactions and identify bogus notes. It also potentially means there are ways for organisations or governments to track your money and how you spend it much more closely than before.

But, just as technology becomes ever more intrusive, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

Take the supermarket chains and retail stores which are looking at introducing RFID tags to improve how they track and supply stock. Their use of intrusive technology means they will know to order extra supplies of your favourite pepperoni pizza and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream ahead of your weekly shop. It can make lives easier.

The same argument can be applied to the biometric ID cards that the UK government this week said it is pressing ahead with. It hopes to introduce them sometime after the next general election if it can get the controversial legislation through Parliament.

Again there are all manner of perfectly valid arguments about how they will become compulsory ID cards and lead to further unnecessary state invasion of our privacy.

But potentially the ID cards will cut down on the growing problem of identity theft and the Home Secretary has stated he wants them to crack down on bogus asylum seekers and terrorism.

It all comes down to how these schemes are implemented and operated. Don’t just blindly have a pop at the technology.